How do I personally define success?

As a woman and leader, how do I personally define success?

I often take a 30,000 foot view on my life and realize that in my lifetime, I have been about 6 different women. I am totally different today than when I was at 16, 24, 39, 45, 50 and 60.

We all come fresh from the hand of God with a specific purpose and plan. Buried deep within us are gifts and talents that need to be discovered, used, and developed. The ultimate goal is to function within our giftings to bring the highest good and greatest glory to God.

Because we all have issues, insecurities, past baggage and fears, the discovery and development of our gifts and gift-mixes is a long and sometimes painful process.

My own teen years of deep and crippling insecurity and fear of people was a labor-some inner process to bring me to the place of public leadership today. For years, I was locked in a self-inflicted prison that became a place of comfort and strange security. Being drawn out of that fear-filled and personal debilitating place could only happen by yielding in often baby-steps to the call of the Spirit.

The steps I followed are well identified in Robert Clinton’s book: “The Making of a Leader”:
Awareness of a gift
Discovery of a gift
Increased use of a gift
Effectiveness in using that gift
Discovery of other gifts
Identification of gift-mixes
Development of gift-mixes.

Success is not measured by what I can do, but by what God and I are doing together to draw out latent gifts and abilities that He has placed within me. God will allow and bring into our lives all sorts of circumstances, tough positions and often challenging people. I am called to yield with His workings, learn and grow.

If I honor God in the processes, He will honor me. Haggai 2:20-23 gives this assuring, rock-solid word: “I will honor you. I will treat you like a signet ring on my finger for I have specially chosen you. I, the Lord Almighty, have spoken.”

What stage best describes where you are at in using your gifts for God?

Your friend,
Margaret