I’m Successful, So Why Am I Not Fulfilled

Caitlyn ScaggsBy Caitlyn Scaggs5 Minutes

You may have a big house, full of amazing appliances, beautiful furniture, and other great “things” but feel terribly empty inside. Material wealth and visible success do not automatically mean that you will feel fulfilled.

Maybe you have a big corner office, incredible title, lots of workplace responsibilities and yet, you still feel terribly empty inside. Prestige and a successful career do not necessarily mean you are satisfied at the core of who you are.

Nor does an overflowing bank account mean that you automatically feel fulfilled. This may be hard to accept and understand because cultural definitions of success often are linked to material wealth, job titles, and the letters next to our names.

Realizing you are successful but not satisfied can be an unnerving place to find yourself! It is important to consider if you are seeking your worth and value from the horizontal perspective of the things of this world. Maybe it is time to seek your worth and value from the vertical perspective and consider how God defines success and guides us to find true and lasting fulfillment.

Blessed Are …

When thinking about success the word “blessings” comes to mind. It is important that we turn to scripture to guide us as to what constitutes a true blessing. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV), He shared powerful insight about what it looks like to truly be blessed.

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Pause to examine your heart for these “beatitudes” shared by Jesus. Do you find yourself thirsting for righteousness? Are you pure in heart? Can you be described as someone who is a peacemaker in your home and within the workplace? Let scripture be the source of how you view satisfaction and fulfillment, not culture and the ways of the world.

If you lack fulfillment in life, look to Jesus to guide you as to how your life can adjust to align with His teachings and His best for you. The world will never be able to satisfy you in the way that Jesus can. After all, He described Himself as living water in John 4:10, signaling that He can satisfy us like no other. As your life becomes increasingly oriented around Jesus, you’ll be full of delight and wonder as true soul-level fulfillment begins to take root.

If you have not yet experienced the incredible satisfaction that comes from following Jesus, God has extended the free gift of true, soul-level fulfillment, simply by choosing to accept Jesus as your Savior. In Him, you will be made whole. With Jesus as your guide, you will be satisfied and find joy, no matter what may come your way.

You Can Be Successful and Fulfilled – with Faith

Allow your fulfillment to be faith-shaped rather than defined by the ways of the world. This will cause you to see the things you hold in your hand, wealth, responsibilities, influence, and resources, as gifts from God that you must steward well instead of the things that define your worth. God has blessed you so that you can experience the soul-satisfaction of using your success to bless others.