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Everyone desires success. Simply wanting it, however, won’t guarantee achievement. That’s why many people fail to reach their goal; they encounter hardship and give up. Let’s discuss one characteristic needed to accomplish what you set out to do.

Healthy thinking is a key contributor to godly success. And the Scriptures have a lot to say about what a believer’s mind should and should not dwell upon. That is because every choice we make, every word we speak, and every action we take begins as a thought. So we really need to have our heads on straight, so to speak.

Anger can wreak havoc on both the body and soul, but its tentacles reach beyond the individual and wrap around everyone in close proximity. Bitter outbursts and silent resentment are not just our own personal issues.

Anger is a common emotion that arises when one encounters a threat, insult, injustice, or frustration. God Himself feels anger, and He has given us this same ability. However, because of our fallen nature, we often respond in a sinful manner when this intense feeling overwhelms us.

Setting goals will help us to succeed in accomplishing His work. Asking God for instruction is where we should begin every time. Through meditating on the Scriptures, seeking the Lord in prayer, and receiving wise counsel, we can determine the work He has chosen for us. Setting wise goals along the way will also help us achieve it in a godly manner.

Church members sometimes get the mistaken idea that service to God must be an “up front” kind of activity. To their way of thinking, the preacher and the choir soloist serve God, but the rest of us are just trying to get through the day—and maybe in the future we’ll get a chance to do some great thing for the Lord.

We never enjoy illness or affliction. After all, what good could possibly result from our ailments? God would never make us sick for any reason—would He?

Probably the most painful and least desired ways that God gets our attention is through failure. After all, nobody likes to fail. However, this is often the best way for God to get through to us.

David’s short battle with Goliath was more than a fight between Israel and the Philistines. It was a defense of Jehovah’s name against those who doubted His supremacy. As David pointed out, the only way a boy with a sling could defeat a giant warrior like Goliath was by the Lord’s hand. And that’s exactly what happened.

Context is very important to our understanding of God’s Word and His ways. But I repeatedly hear one promise quoted apart from its scriptural framework: “God said He would give me the desires of my heart, and so I’m trusting Him to do that.”

In contemporary Christian culture, faith is often considered a possession that affects just its “owner.” Because of our love for independence and self-sufficiency, we have, in many ways, lost the sense of community and outreach that the church is meant to embody.

Faith and obedience are travel companions heading to the same “destination”—namely, to please and glorify the Lord. You cannot have one without the other. They grow simultaneously as they are practiced, but will wither if neglected.

What causes some people to fail and others to achieve their goals? Perhaps, as some hypothesize, family background, education, and ability are the main ingredients. But why, then, do we hear of victories from those with difficult backgrounds, disabilities, or little training? Surely, something else determines whether we accomplish our objectives.

Insecurity is a subtle danger. In order to recognize this problem in our lives, we must take an honest look at where it originates. Let’s identify some common causes for a lack of confidence.

Discouragement is one of Satan’s most effective weapons; he knows that if he can destroy our courage, we’ll be ineffective in accomplishing anything for Christ. Let’s explore the downward spiral that is created by this destructive force.

Whenever the Lord speaks to us, He gets straight to the point. He doesn’t dance around the issue, He doesn’t engage in idle chitchat, and He doesn’t talk just for the sake of talking. God always has something specific to say. He says it precisely, and His message invariably speaks directly to our needs.

Do you feel yourself growing cold toward the Lord? Though we, who are children of God, can never lose our salvation, it is possible for our spiritual passion to cool.

Numerous people believe in God, attend church, and are convinced that they will someday go to heaven. But of these, far too many are misinformed about salvation.

Life is continually changing. At times I tell myself that if just a few pressing issues resolve, my days will be calmer. But as soon as those problems are settled, some new challenge always pops up. Even globally, we’re in a constant state of flux. The economy rises and then spirals downward. Gas prices increase and unemployment falls. A new conflict flares up every few months. Since we live in a fallen world, trouble is part of our reality. Life will never settle down to the point that we can sail along with uninterrupted ease.

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church praises the Macedonian believers at Philippi for their generosity. Despite deep poverty and great troubles, they desired to bless others materially.

The children’s story about Jonah and the whale presents the prophet in a rather rosy light: After three days in the fish’s belly, he relents and goes merrily on to Nineveh. End of story.

When Lazarus was dying, his sisters urgently called for Jesus. Imagine how their grief must have compounded when He didn’t instantly respond to their request. God’s silence is difficult to accept. We want Him to leap into action when we call, particularly if we are hurting or afraid. But since He promises to meet our needs, we can be sure that a silence from heaven has purpose.

Imagine this courtroom scene: After a long trial, emotions are running high, the most noticeable one being hostility toward the convict. The judge issues his verdict: guilty of murder in the first degree. Then a punishment is decided—the death penalty. Tearfully, the mother of the victim rises, puts her arms around the murderer, and says to the judge, “Let me die in his place.”

The Bible instructs us, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18) That directive might seem easy when life is going well. But if painful circumstances arise, expressing gratitude can become difficult.

People often try to comfort others who find themselves in a difficult season of life. But sometimes expressions of consolation create even more pain. For example, the well-intentioned words “I understand” feel empty if the speaker has never actually experienced the situation.