Joshua 1:8 What Does God Say About Success? (Part 2)

In Part 1, we discovered that the word "success" appears only once in the entire Bible—and God ties it directly to our interaction with His Word in Joshua 1:8. Today, let's explore what that means for our everyday lives.

Joshua 1:8 has taken on new meaning for me over the last few years, particularly as I've walked through seasons of stepping out in faith.

My Own Step of Faith

When the Lord first laid Grounded in Truth Company on my heart, I knew with absolute certainty it was something He was asking me to do. But it was also one of the biggest steps of faith I've ever taken.

There was no clear path, no promise of income, no guarantee that anyone would even want what I was making. (For the record: years later, that hasn't changed. There still isn't.)

It was just…a step of obedience. A sense that the Lord was saying, "Do this thing. Trust Me in it."

And I did. And I do.

But I'll be honest—for the first couple of years, I struggled with what success was supposed to look like. Was success when the business could pay its own bills? Was it when it could provide me with a salary? Or would success come when the business grew enough to become a legacy business for my family?

Those are practical goals, and there's nothing wrong with them. But underneath all of it, I kept hearing the same quiet refrain—something a wise mentor once said to me:

What does faithfulness look like for the sake of being faithful?

What if success looks like faithfulness? Not for the sake of the outcome. Not for the sake of results. Just…for the sake of faithfulness. For the sake of my relationship with God through Christ.

That question has changed how I view everything.

What if success isn't doing all the things, but being faithfully, fully present with my God all the time?

Relearning the Definition

This year especially, the Lord's been drawing my heart toward building the devotional side of Grounded—the blog, the devotional content, the ways people can practically get into Scripture. It's slower work. It's not always the kind that makes a balance sheet look impressive.

But if I've learned anything in my years of walking with Jesus, I've learned to trust the Lord to make the math work in His time even when the numbers don't make sense to me. Trusting in the Lord, not leaning on my own understanding…sounds a bit familiar, right?

Because according to His Word, success isn't measured in profit margins or social media follower counts, or large email lists, or even perfect biscuits.

It's measured in our faithful commitment to Scripture.

What Does God Say About Success

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth

That's Scripture in our words. What we talk about, what fills our conversations, what we share with others.

Deuteronomy puts it this way: "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

Pretty sure that covers the gamut, friends. Talk about the Word of the Lord everywhere you are.

And this doesn't have to mean you speak only in scripture quotes, but let God's Word profoundly influence everything you say.

Thou shalt meditate therein day and night

That's Scripture in our minds. Turning it over like a precious stone, letting it shape how we think.

Psalm 119:11 says "Thy word have I hid in mine heart…" In verse 15 it says "I will meditate in thy precepts…" (In other words, I will [study, ponder] in thy [commandments].)

That thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein

That's Scripture in our actions. Letting obedience to God's Word define the way we live, the way we respond, the way we love.

In James, the Bible tells us "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…"

This is another verse that the Lord has placed a special emphasis on in my life these last few years.

Hear me when I say: get in the Bible. Read the Bible. Study the Bible. Timothy tells us to

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I've spent the last four years building a business whose main goal is to help believers surround themselves with scripture. But a head knowledge of the Bible, even a deep one, and a set of verse cards on your desk or fridge is not enough if you don't live out what you're learning.

There's a quote I've seen many times that I love, attributed to St. Francis of Assisi (although a quick search suggests they can't prove he said it, but it's good anyway so I'm going to share it with you):

Preach the gospel always. When necessary, use words.

And then, of course, there's the classic: "actions speak louder than words."

Success doesn't just happen when we talk about the Bible and meditate on its commands. Success happens when we live out what we know and have learned through the Holy Spirit from the person of Jesus, in the form of the Word of God.

When those three things line up—when the Word of God fills our mouths, our minds, and our lives—God calls that success.

Closing Reflection

Maybe your life right now doesn't feel like "success" in the way you expected. Maybe it feels quiet, hidden, unseen.

But friend, if you are walking in obedience to the Lord, letting His Word lead your words, thoughts, and actions—you are living the only definition of success that matters.

God's definition.

Aren't you thankful that God doesn't measure success the way the world does?

It's not about achieving; it's about abiding.

Not striving; but staying.

Not more results, but more of Him.

Not busy-ness. Faithfulness.

Let's be people who speak His Word, think on His Word, and live out His Word—day and night—trusting that the same God who promised success to Joshua will keep us steadfast in His truth.