What Does (Or Will) Your ‘Second Half’ Look Like?

For many sports fans, whether their favorite is American football, basketball or soccer, each contest comes in two parts – a first half and a second half. In many cases the second half is most important, because that is when strategic adjustments are made based on what has happened in the first half.

 

It’s not unusual for one team to go into the locker room at halftime with a substantial lead, only to see that lead evaporate because of changes the opponent has made for the second half. And the team that is trailing at halftime can come out for the second half hopeful that adjustments they’ve made will work in their favor.

 

In a similar way, life often has two halves. For lots of folks, especially men, the first half of their lives is primarily about success. Establishing a career, climbing the corporate ladder, increasing the income, gaining recognition and a solid reputation in whatever vocation they choose. Status, prestige, affluence, power. These all can be intoxicating motivators for one’s early and middle adult years.

 

However, there often comes a time when the goals and targets we’ve set have either been achieved or lose their luster. Some start to relate to the refrain from the old Peggy Lee song, “Is that all there is?” I’ve heard many executives and entrepreneurs speak about “climbing the ladder of success, only to discover it was leaning against the wrong wall.”

 

What happens then? Many a wise person has recognized that success is fleeting. King Solomon of Israel, who wrote all or part of several books in the Bible, was acclaimed for his wisdom as well as the grandeur of his kingdom and the vast wealth he had accumulated. Yet, nearing the end of his life, he cynically concluded much of what he had accomplished was futile.

 

Solomon wrote, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).

 

Tell us how you really feel, King Sol! Just verses later he added, “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun is grievous to me…. I hated all the things I had done under the sun because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 2:17-19).

 

Thanks for the encouraging words, right? Well, if success isn’t all it’s supposed to be, what are we to do? This is where our ‘second half’ comes in. Rather than continuing the quest for success in whatever work God has entrusted us to perform, we can shift our focus to significance.

 

Reading Solomon’s dire musings in Ecclesiastes, it’s clear he was reflecting on the temporary nature of life. Outstanding careers and grand enterprises are built and then come to an end. This year’s star player will soon be replaced by someone else. Great companies of decades ago either disappear entirely, are absorbed by other corporations, or undergo major restructuring, often bearing little resemblance to what they once were. 

 

Unlike success, significance is something that endures long after our earthly lives have ended. This is one reason the term “legacy” has gained popularity. In fact, for years I worked for a non-profit called Leaders Legacy in which our goal was to touch lives for Jesus Christ through a unique strategy of leadership development, mentoring, coaching and team building. Ironically, Leaders Legacy no longer exists as an entity, but its impact is continuing through the lives of men, women and families it touched.

 

Okay, if success isn’t the be-all-end-all, then how do we achieve significance in the second half of our lives? This isn’t easy to answer because it’s not one-size-fits-all. But it involves using the gifts, talents and experience God has given us and passing those along to people He brings into our lives. For one person this might mean volunteering in an area of interest. It might mean mentoring someone, a younger adult or child. In serving as a spiritual mentor or disciple-maker, the age of the person doesn’t matter – what does matter is their desire to grow in their faith and understanding of how to live it out practically.

 

Once their children have grown, many people shift into the role of nurturing grandparents, again investing their wisdom and experience into the next generation. Some folks, having gone as far as they could in their careers or upon retiring, decide to pursue an avocation or passion they never had time to cultivate, something that can influence others in a positive way. This could range from coaching a youth sports team to working in a local food bank to teaching a continuing education class.

 

The apostle Paul understood this idea, what some people term “paying it forward.” Writing to his protégé Timothy, the apostle exhorted, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). That single verse represents four generations of believers, and I’m certain the spiritual genealogy of many people today traces  back to Paul and Timothy.

 

Years ago, a good friend, among many individuals who made meaningful investments into my own life spiritually, showed me an Old Testament verse that refers to benefits gained – including significance – that come from giving out of our lives to others. In Isaiah 43:4 God declares, “Since you are precious and honored in My sight and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life” (Isaiah 43:4).

Imagine you’re a football team that has just returned to the field from halftime, trailing by a few points. You’ve assessed what happened in the first half. The question you must answer now is, “What will your second half look like?” 

Coping With the Perplexing Perils of Prosperity

We all have experienced difficulties in many forms – financial struggles; health challenges; ongoing family conflicts; emergencies occurring at absolutely the worst possible times; working hard toward a desired goal only to see it elude our grasp and never come to fruition. But tough times build tough people, right? Out of necessity, we learn how to cope with adversity.  

But what about prosperity? How good are we at dealing with times when everything seems to be going well?

That might seem strange to ask. We love the good times. To borrow the musical stanza from the Ira Gershwin opera, “Porgy and Bess,” what’s not to like about “Summertime, when the livin’ is easy”? 

 

But in reality, the way we handle and process prosperity might be a greater and more accurate test of character than adversity. Because during hard times, unless we simply give up, we do whatever it takes to survive and make it past the crisis. We turn on our internal survival mechanism and shift into high gear. Prosperity, on the other hand, can trigger positive or negative responses.

 

There are countless stories of people who fought hard to reach the heights of their vocation – including entertainers, athletes, business executives, politicians, other public figures – only to suffer tragic tumbles from grace. They couldn’t handle success. Sadly, this has proved true as well for some who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.

 

Reading a devotional by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great British preacher of the mid-to-late 1800s, brought this to mind. Referring to a statement by the apostle Paul, Spurgeon observed:

“There are many who know ‘how to be abased,’ who have not learned ‘how to abound.’ When they are set on the top of a pinnacle, their heads grow dizzy, and they are ready to fall. The Christian far more often disgraces his profession in prosperity than in adversity…. The crucible of adversity is a less severe trial to the Christian than the refining pot of prosperity…. When (Paul) had much, he knew how to use it. Abundant grace enabled him to bear abundant prosperity.”

 

Spurgeon was referring to Philippians 4:12, in which Paul told of having to “learn” how to deal times when he was prospering, both personally and in ministry. He wrote, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Another translation expresses the apostle’s sentiments a bit differently: “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

 

Throughout history people have wrestled with what we might term the “peril of prosperity.” Throughout the Old Testament we read about the Israelites, God’s chosen people, who cried out to the Lord in times of distress only to give Him little thought when things seemed to be going smoothly. Despite their religious rituals, they lived as “practical atheists,” until the next calamity reminded them of how desperately they needed to rely on God. They were abominably slow learners.

 

In a collection of proverbs in the Bible, written by someone known as “Agur son of Jakeh,” we read this cautionary request: “…give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9).

 

Another verse in the same Old Testament book also notes how difficult it can be to deal appropriately with success and acclaim: “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives” (Proverbs 27:21). Apparently, we learn to pass this test with time and experience.

 

During times of difficulty many of us are quick to turn to God, pleading for His intervention and resolution of our problems. But how many of us are equally eager to acknowledge and humbly deflect to Him any praise we receive when things “couldn’t be better” and all seems right in our world? Are we prepared to pass the “test” then?

The Insidious Snare of Success

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the late Welsh minister and medical doctor, was a well-known expository preacher and author of many books on the Bible and biblical truth. Sounds like he experienced more than his share of success. Given that, it’s interesting that he observed, “the worst thing that can happen to a man is to succeed before he is ready.”

 

Some of us might respond, “Why does he say that?” After all, we all want to succeed in whatever endeavors we choose. The sooner success arrives the better, right?

 

In reality, sudden success can prove to be a slippery slope. We don’t need to name names, but we can all think of pro athletes, entertainers, business leaders and politicians who became celebrated early in their careers only to wind up in a ditch somewhere. People once on the brink of promising, bright futures ending up on the human scrap heap.

There are a number of reasons for this insidious snare, but I think one primary cause is summarized by Proverbs 27:21, which says, “The furnace is for silver and the crucible for gold, but a man is tested by the praise he receives.” Receiving acclaim and fame before one is prepared to handle it properly can prove devastating.

 

But we don’t have to become household names to struggle with handling success. Rising quickly through the ranks at work, winning the lottery, receiving a substantial inheritance, or even gaining positions of influence in our church or community early in our adult lives can result in being “tested by the praise [we] receive.”

 

Readiness to experience success in appropriate ways requires maturity and experience. But you can’t teach experience – or maturity. Those come (hopefully) only with the slow passage of time, seasoned with ample doses of perseverance, struggle, humility – and failure. God can use all of those to shape our character, as we’re told in Romans 5:4.

 

Reading through the Scriptures we find one example after another of individuals who were used in extraordinary ways by the Lord, but only after they had been tried and tested. 

 

Among them was Joseph, who after being sold off by his jealous brothers, then wrongly accused and imprisoned for years, rose to righthand-man status to the pharaoh in Egypt. Moses, raised in the Egyptian pharaoh’s family, was forced into exile for 40 years before God singled him out to lead the Israelites out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery. 

 

Nehemiah was a lowly cupbearer for Persian king Artaxerxes, a responsibility he performed faithfully. Eventually the respect he earned from the king gave him authority to play a key role in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Then there was Daniel, who had been handpicked to train for service to the king in Babylon. He clung to his faith and convictions, refusing to compromise, and over time was accorded a position of great influence.

 

We see how Jesus’ disciples – who after His death and resurrection became apostles taking the Gospel message to both Jews and Gentiles – were carefully prepared for their missional work. Paul didn’t become a fruitful missionary and major contributor to New Testament writings overnight either. After gaining elite status as a Pharisee and persecutor of Christians, he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. Even then, God didn’t give him a leadership role with Christ’s followers until nearly a dozen more years of spiritual “seasoning.”

 

This isn’t to say that younger people shouldn’t be entrusted with leadership positions. But the Bible warns of getting caught up in success too soon at any age. As we read in 1 Peter 5:5-6, “Young men, in the same way, be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothes yourselves with humility toward one another, because ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.”

 

Hard work, determination, initiative, talent and imagination are all ingredients for success. But they are best nurtured over time and utilized with humility, recognizing the gifts God bestows and opportunities He presents – in due time.

What Does a Life Worth Living Require?

When people embark on a professional career, they typically have one primary goal in sight: Success. They want to prove their skills at their chosen vocation and then be rewarded accordingly, not only financially but also with promotions, and influence. They want to make their mark and be recognized for it.

 

There comes a time in most people’s working careers, however, when a major shift occurs. The pursuit of success becomes a different quest – for significance. They want to leave a meaningful legacy after they retire or pass from this life. They’d like to feel significant, to have achieved a life worth living.

 

But what constitutes significance? Does it mean leaving a vast inheritance? Giving enough money to an institution to deserve having one’s name displayed on a building? Having an obituary that takes up two entire columns in the local newspaper?

 

I thought about this recently while attending the memorial service for a longtime friend. I met Gene when I joined the staff of CBMC (Christian Business Men’s Connection) more than 40 years ago, and he was truly one of a kind – a master of puns in the silliest sense of the word, but also a person devoted to Jesus Christ and with a passion for offering aid to the poor and disenfranchised in whatever ways possible.

 

The church where Gene’s life was celebrated wasn’t large, but it was jammed. Standing room only. Those attending represented a wide range of demographics: white, African-American, mixed race, wealthy, not wealthy at all, old and young. The one common denominator was their love for this man who is now with the Lord and their appreciation for his often-selfless service and ministry of mercy in their lives.

 

Although a musician, writer, and a noted collector of “neat stuff,” Gene never achieved what one might consider celebrity status. Few of the city’s “movers and shakers” were present for the service. And yet, hearing the moving testimonies, listening to laughter as some of his endearing quirks – including his unique sense of humor – were remembered, and seeing visible evidence of the many people whose lives he had touched in the name of Jesus Christ, I couldn’t help thinking that his was a life of true significance.

 

We become enthralled with the famous – even those who achieve fame simply for being famous. But significance doesn’t require being listed in Who’s Who, or having a lengthy bio on Wikipedia, or having a street named after you. Rather, it’s making a genuine, even life-changing difference in the lives of people with whom we have the opportunity to interact. 

 

In Gene’s case, this included being a one-man “clearing house” for impoverished individuals who came to his church seeking help. Experience had taught him the best assistance isn’t always a handout but sometimes offering a hand-up instead. And in the process, introducing many of them to the Savior who not only could save their souls but also guide them to productive, rewarding lives.

 

Proverbs 3:28 teaches, “Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’ – when you already have it with you.” My friend was an expert in heeding this admonition, doing his best to serve as a soldier in the war on poverty. As he often said, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. And maybe one day, he’ll own the pond.”

 

Many of us on occasion find ourselves wondering what it will be like to take our final breath on Earth and suddenly find ourselves in the presence of the Lord. We do know what Jesus said about those who fulfill the calling God gave to them: “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21). I’m certain this is what Gene heard upon arrival.

 

Despite biblical assurances, it's not uncommon even for folks with implicit faith in Jesus Christ to ponder their eventual death with some trepidation. As the ole “theologian” Woody Allen once quipped, “I’m not afraid of dying. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” But if we believe what the Scriptures teach, death in this life is simply what I like to term “stepping to the other side of eternity.” 

It’s when God our Father extends His arms to welcome us home. This explains the curious biblical assertion that, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15). 

Achieving Success – in 3-D

The recently completed Winter Olympics provided inspiration from athletes who had overcome great obstacles and adversities. Our hearts warmed to see competitors from around the world, representing diverse cultures and speaking unfamiliar languages, united in a spirit of sportsmanship. But most of all, we reveled in victory, the successes of men and women who proved to be the very best at what they do, whether it was skiing, figure skating, speed skating, halfpipe, hockey, bobsledding, ski jumping or curling.

I even conceived a new motto: “You win some, you luge some.” Every victory demonstrated what we could call “the 3 D’s of Success: Diligence, Determination, and Discipline.”

Top athletes start with inherent assets – speed, size, “fast-twitch” muscles, natural ability. Things you can’t teach. But lots of people have those, yet never excel. What separates the winners from the losers – and the “never-even-tried” – are the three D’s.

They weren’t “weekend warriors,” engaging in their sport once a week. They were diligent to work, train and practice every day, often as many hours (or more) as we spend at work. They set goals, ultimately Olympic gold, and were determined not to let anything deter them for achieving them. And they were disciplined, forgoing many things that could sidetrack them from their mission, following rigorous, daily regimens to prepare them for competing with the world’s best.

Most of us will never be Olympians. But wouldn’t it be great if we could become “gold medal winners” as followers of Jesus Christ and His ambassadors? Those same three D’s can play an important role in fulfilling that desire, as the Scriptures tell us.

Followers of Jesus also have a built-in asset: the indwelling Holy Spirit. Colossians 1:27 says each of us has, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” We’re also told, “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). We’re not called to live the so-called Christian life in our own strength. We have the power of Jesus Christ in us.

But this doesn’t release us from the responsibility of pursuing spiritual growth and maturity, to become true, fruitful disciples of Jesus. We should cultivate the same three D’s of diligence, determination and discipline that serve championship athletes so well. We see these traits emphasized throughout the Scriptures; here are a few examples we can draw from the apostle Paul:

Writing to Timothy, his young protégé, Paul urged him to dedicate himself to mastering the Word of God: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Paul also instructed Timothy to focus on developing his spiritual gifts: “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15).

Elsewhere, Paul expressed the singular focus he embraced for his own life: “For my determined purpose is that I may know (Jesus Christ) – that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His person] more strongly and more clearly…” (Philippians 3:10, Amplified).

Speaking of his resolve to finish well in his life and service to God, Paul told believers in the city of Corinth, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Paul summed it up when he exhorted Timothy, “…discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8). Nothing wrong with striving for physical fitness and excellence, but spiritual excellence is far better.

We might never step onto a podium on an Olympic stage, but if we pursue the virtues of diligence, determination and discipline, we can experience spiritual success, leading to much gratitude to God, “who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14).

What Is Success, Anyway?

“Success” is a word we use casually, as if everyone has a universal understanding of what it means. We don’t.

We hear about the “American success story.” But what does that mean? What makes the story a “success”? Do we evaluate it according to income and net worth? Status? Fame? Size of house and make of car? Recognition in the community?

We tend to assign success labels to people with names everyone knows. In fact, if you’re known by a single name, such as folks in the music world like Reba or Cher, Bono or Adele, or athletes like Lebron or Kobe, A-Rod or Peyton, that means you’re really successful, right? But what about one-hit musical wonders, like “Earth Angel” in 1955, sung by the Penguins, or “Do You Love Me” by the Contours in 1962? Both made it to the Top Ten, but those artists shone like comets and then disappeared. Does that mean they weren’t successful?

This topic came up recently when someone on a writers’ social media site asked, "Is it possible to be a successful author after age 65?" When I read the question I thought, “Why can’t someone older than 65 be a successful writer?” Then it occurred to me it depends on how we define success.

If “success” means becoming the next John Grisham, J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, or Kathy Reichs, the answer’s probably no. But then a better question would be, “Is it possible to be a successful author at any age?” Because of all the millions of people who view themselves as writers, only a tiny percentage will ever make the New York Times bestsellers list.

However, if being successful means finishing a manuscript and having it published, by whatever means, then having it read by people in the intended audience large or small (besides one’s mother), then writers can be considered successful, whether they’re 25, 65, or 105. If they’ve enjoyed the process of writing, have done so to the best of their ability, and someone has benefited from what they’ve written, that’s a measure of success.

What about parenting? Does “success” mean raising a child smart enough to attend and graduate from a prestigious (and expensive) university, earn advanced degrees, and then settle into a career that brings prominence and great financial rewards? Or does it mean having a child that upholds and lives according to high moral standards, grows into a loving and compassionate individual, recognizes his or her innate abilities and gifts, and uses them to serve others in meaningful ways?

The same perspectives could be applied to any field of endeavor. We celebrate captains of industry. One of them, Donald Trump, gets a lot of attention these days, but is he really more “successful” than the single mom who leverages her craft skills into a cottage industry to meet the everyday needs of her family? Or the schoolteacher who pursues his role as a calling, not a job, and in the course of his career becomes a positive role model for hundreds of children? Or law enforcement officers that regard their work as opportunities to serve and protect the public, regardless of color, ethnicity, age or gender?

The Bible doesn’t say much about success specifically. The word appears only once in the original translations, but that single use is revealing: “This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success” (Joshua 1:8).

In other words, God sees success as learning and implementing His truth in our everyday lives, following His principles for experiencing a fruitful, rewarding life.

Ephesians 2:10 declares, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Success, from His perspective, is figuring out what those “good works” are and striving to carry them faithfully.

We find a similar statement in the apostle Paul’s second letter to his young protégé, Timothy. After stating, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” the apostle adds, “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Earlier Paul had written to Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

When we buy a new high-tech device, whether it’s a wide-screen, high-definition TV or the newest generation PC, one measure of success in owning them is whether we set them up and use them as directed to the operating manual. In a similar – yet far more profound – way, in God’s view success for us is striving to discern His truth and living according to it.

We might never merit any edition of “Who’s Who,” but if the Lord knows who we are and we’re recipients of His unconditional love, that’s a formula for ultimate success.

Success, and the ‘10,000-Hour Rule’

Do you consider yourself successful? What would you cite as necessities for someone to achieve great success?

Whenever there’s a discussion of what constitutes success, opinions are plentiful. Innate abilities, sometimes also referred to as “giftedness” or aptitude, can certainly make a huge difference. Education and training usually are significant contributors. And you can’t discount the level of one’s determination and perseverance – willingness to continue pressing forward in the face of obstacles and adversity.

As someone has said,
before trying to climb
the ladder of success,
make certain it's
facing the right wall.

Years ago in Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell examined success from many perspectives. He introduced the “10,000-Hour Rule” as a key factor for attaining high levels of success. Drawing from Swedish psychologist Anders Ericsson’s research, Gladwell proposed spending at least 10,000 hours practicing a specific skill as a prerequisite for mastering it.

Predictably, Gladwell’s declaration met criticism from experts arguing time and repetition alone can’t guarantee success. The saying, “practice makes perfect,” falls flat if you practice making the same mistakes again and again, they noted. Maybe that’s why the adage was later amended to “Perfect practice makes perfect.”

In reality, both sides are right – and wrong. Large quantities of time will produce success only if practice and repetition are done with quality. And practice, even if done with precision, will foster success only if done in sufficient quantities to make excellence almost second nature.

Thinking about Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule, only a handful of things I’ve done over the years would qualify. When I took Personal Typing as a junior in high school, learning the “home row” seemed impossible, and I couldn’t imagine typing without looking directly at the keys. After many years of work as a journalist, learning to think and compose at the keyboard, I became very proficient as a typist. In fact, my typing surpassed many of the secretaries and administrative assistants wherever I worked.

I couldn’t begin to calculate how much time I’ve spent writing, over more than 40 decades as a newspaper reporter and editor, magazine editor, book author, columnist and blogger. But the hours must total tens of thousands. On happy occasions when someone is kind enough to compliment my writing skills, I’m thankful. But it also occurs to me, “Well, I’d better be a pretty good writer. I’ve spent enough time doing it!”

Contrast that with pursuits I’ve enjoyed but never invested enough time to perfect. It was fun playing the drums in high school, but after a couple of years of formal lessons, my percussion practice consisted only of random “bang sessions.” As a result, I never became the drummer I would have liked to be.

In college I spent many hours on tennis courts playing recreationally. Over time I became reasonably skilled given my athletic limitations, but because I never invested the time demanded to become a good player, I never advanced beyond mediocre. Ten thousand hours practicing tennis? Not even close.

So what’s all this got to do with anything? Well, for one thing, the mantra, “It’s the quality that counts, not quantity,” is a copout. For instance, in parenting, children want quality time – but they like it in quantity. If you want to have a good, growing marriage, you need to give your spouse quantity time – not an occasional quality hour or two. Successful parents – and successful partners – aren’t afraid to invest whatever time is necessary. Maybe even 10,000 hours or so.

Spiritually it’s much the same. The average Christian seems to think attendance at a worship service and maybe a Sunday school class or small group is sufficient for spiritual maturity. “Hey, God, I gave you a couple of hours on Sunday. What do you want?”

Granted, we have work, family obligations, time for eating and sleeping, maybe a few community activities thrown in. And we need time for TV and just chillin’, right? But how can we experience success spiritually if we spend more time eating chips than we do speaking and listening to God?

In reality, He wants us 24/7. That doesn’t mean we walk about with hands folded and heads bowed. But the Bible does say, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which means doing that in the classroom, during a business meeting, while disciplining our children, cooking meals, even driving the car. Praying does not require closed eyes or opened mouths.

The verse preceding that tells us to “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). This applies to good times and bad, victories and defeats, happy times and sad. Because being successful spiritually involves trusting the Lord is with us no matter what.

Do you really want to know God? It’s going to require a lot more than reading “the verse of the day” that arrives by email every morning. King David understood this from personal experience when he wrote, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word…. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9,11).

Imagine if, over the course of your lifetime, you were to invest 10,000 hours or more in prayer, Bible study and meditation. Do you think that might result in spiritual success? It sure would be worth a try.