Doing Well Without God
There’s a strange thing that happens when we start to taste success. At first, it’s all excitement. There's the thrill of progress, the joy of hitting milestones, the sense of accomplishment. But as we go along that path, sometimes without even realizing it, we slowly start to go on auto-pilot without a destination. We get caught up in the doing, in the achieving, and we slowly forget why we even began in the first place, or where we're headed to.
"Is there more to this?"
"What's the end game here?"
"Are titles and awards all there is to this life?"
The danger isn’t in the success. God wants us to grow, to thrive, and to use our gifts with excellence. But the problem is in the subtle shift that happens when we start letting the success define us... when we begin to believe that we are on top of the world, and rest in the comfort of our worldly achievements.
Have you ever felt that even with all we've achieved, deep down, something still feels off? We fill our schedules, decorate our homes, stack up accomplishments, but there’s this nagging feeling that it’s not enough. So we keep looking, going, and building. We keep on curating a version of ourselves in the hopes to feel somehow complete, even if we’re far from it.
And if we’re being honest, we like the way it feels. We like the control, the overcoming, and the admiration that comes after. It’s addictive. But in that kind of living, we forget we need God because we're too focused on ourselves.
The hard truth is we can do well in life and still feel empty. We can achieve every goal and still miss what matters. The real danger isn’t in thriving; it’s in thinking we can thrive without God. Over time, if we’re not careful, our hearts grow calloused. We get consumed with ambition. Our goals get louder, and we forget how to listen. Then we’re left wondering why our lives feel hollow.
One thing I realized is that the closer you get to Christ, the more you see the imperfections in your life. It’s like turning on the light in a room that you didn’t realize was dark. Suddenly, you see things you didn’t notice before. The pride, the self-sufficiency. The way you’ve measured your worth by what you’ve done, instead of who you are in Him.
The world rewards us to be self-made. To push forward, no matter the cost. But God never asked us to do it alone. His way is different... an invitation to let go of control, to surrender daily, and to walk in trust according to His plans. The world may reward independence, but real growth happens in surrender.
The question, then, is do we want to grow closer to the world, or closer to God? When God reveals to us what’s broken, it's to build us into who the person we were meant to be and do the things He set us apart to do.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)
In a world that is always loud, God often speaks in stillness. The more we chase noise, the harder it is to hear Him. But when we slow down, even just a little, we start to see how much of our identity has been tied to what we do. But in Christ, we’re reminded: we are not what we accomplish. We are who He says we are: Loved. Chosen. Redeemed.
The best part is, God doesn’t turn away when we wake up to our imperfections. He’s always waiting, never not listening.
So if you’ve been running hard, building bigger, chasing more, this isn’t a call to stop. It’s an invitation to build with God at the center and to see your work, your influence, your talents as part of a bigger story: to make His name known.
"Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." -Matthew 5:16
We don’t have to change our lives overnight. But maybe today is a good day to take one step back and reflect. One quiet prayer, one honest surrender. One decision to be led. Success can take us higher, but only God can make us whole.
"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." -Psalm 139:23–24