How do you stay grounded and avoid a divided heart when you become Successful?

Recently I was talking a friend that I greatly admire, and he made a statement that caught my attention. He said, “It is very rare for people to be successful and to still follow God with their whole heart.” It hooked my attention, and I recognized the pull that success can put on our heart. It made me question; how do you stay grounded in these circumstances? The bible has many sobering warnings about how wealth and success attempt to arrest our heart. Matthew 6 states that our devotion will be challenged:

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Matthew 6:24 NIV

Wealth and success can blur your values if they are not clearly defined. I have always found that money is a good follower but a terrible leader. This means that it is vital to prioritize our relationship with the Lord above everything else and connect our values to His. When we are aligned like this, wealth and success become a potent force for the kingdom of God, enabling and resourcing its expansion.

Don’t think money does everything or you are going to end up doing everything for money.” — Voltaire

4 Ways to Stay Grounded

I am confident that despite the contest for our desires, we can stay grounded and follow Jesus with our whole heart. These 5 practices are fundamental in keeping us on track and keep us from falling into the trap of living with a divided heart.

• Be Spiritually Accountable

Allowing a mature believer to speak honestly and candidly into your life can be an invaluable safeguard. A pastor or leader that cares for you will help you to see blind spots that can develop in your life.

• Be Connected to a Local Church 

Spending time in a community of faith that teaches the bible helps to reinforce your biblical values. The relationships that you create keep you connected with your faith. 

• Spend your own time with Jesus

There is no substitute for developing your own personal relationship with your savior. Reading the bible, understanding God’s ways and time in prayer align your heart with His and stoke the love you have for God.

• Help Disciple other people

Discipleship is central to the mission that Jesus left His people with. It requires generosity and a dependence on your relationship with the Lord. 

Don’t Ever Forget that God is Your Source.

Janet made it clear that when we started to succeed, we would not forget that it all belongs to God. That meant we would not acquire anything that we were not willing to give way, if God told us to. If we were unwilling to give it away, we did not own it – it owned us and a man is a slave to that which masters him.

Deuteronomy 8:18 reminds us:” Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” This mindset remembers our dependence on the Lord. When we become self-reliant, we run the risk of falling into the trap of pride. It can be tempting to believe that all we have is a result of our own endeavors. The humble approach of staying God reliant ensures that we stay grounded. Rehearsing our gratitude for all that God provides is a healthy way of renewing our dependence on Him. CS Lewis says it this way:

One of the dangers of having a lot of money is that you may be quite satisfied with the kinds of happiness money can give and so fail to realize your need for God. If everything seems to come simply by signing checks, you may forget that you are at every moment totally dependent on God.

CS Lewis Mere Christianity

“And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

Matthew 13.22