The harder you work and the more you realise the work never ends and the things to work towards just get bigger and bigger.
That's why we can't settle for success as our life purpose- each thing you earn only leads to to more mind-numbing work towards the next mediocre piece of paper (certificate), bit of recognition, medal, applause, pleasure, pay/money, acceptance...
....but all of these things run out much faster than they can be accumulated.
There's a hole in the bucket. You try collecting things in it, but they always need to to be topped up!
Spend your life pursuing success and you will land at the end still desperately reaching for the elusive final/ultimate success which will finally leave you completely satisfied and allow you your heart, body, mind and soul to rest.
That would have been my story- one ending with disappointment and regret of what I could've, should've and would've done- IF ONLY I HAD MORE TIME, MONEY, ENERGY etc etc.
But I chose to accept Jesus into my life in the first year of uni... woop woop!... and live instead with God leading me to pursue the things I will truly excel in (that he created me to do), to give me grace when I fall short of goals (AKA daily) and help me to focus on the eternal things that will not simply empty, fade or rust- the ultimate destination is heaven.
No pain, loss, regret, doubt, sadness etc in heaven... heaven!
Stop shoveling to fill that holey bucket and put all your pennies in the bucket for the truly holy son of God, Jesus, to carry, use wisely and bring much greater works than you could have done alone and with peace in your heart at every moment (no matter what your circumstances).
Jesus knows how to succeed, he knows how to have fun and he knows where to go and what to do to lead the best life imaginable (in fact he said he would give us "life to the full") and man if you look around at his creation (nature, friends, family, food etc.) it is all so much cooler than we could have created, so imagine what his idea of life to the full is for us compared with our own thoughts of what would be the full life!
He obviously would think our wee plans were pretty plain and can't wait to show us and bring us into the grand plans He has devised for US as UNIQUE human who he loves every aspect of.
My first #1 place came since putting my faith in Christ, thinking hey I might suck today but any outcome leaves me in the same place with God's care and plans. Here's the pics from my Peak to Powderkeg race win (ski, run, bike, skull (Iemonade not beer for me, haha):
Pic 1: Nana laughing, Poppa nearly crying *, me grinning and random dog not giving a crap as I finished.
*Historic participation in this event for our family and I was the first to win... and did it at my first shot only 4 mins behind the winning male.
Pic 2: 1st-3rd place left to right with our prizes.
Trust me, living in Him means you can breathe and just live- it's not a fight for survival any more, its freedom to live! "Be still and know that I am God"-Psalm 46:10, it's not an invitation to not move anywhere or do anything, rather its an invitation to step out and go where you never considered heading before because all the internal storms and stresses are powerless and puny in God's sight.
It's not just wins in races (probably that's the least of all) that come about, but true connections with others as you stop worrying about how you appear to others and instead just enjoy who they are and have a laugh! :)
He holds you, strengthens you through the challenges of life and sometime throws you right into the midst of things to just wing it because well it's a bit of fun:
