Miserably Saved

Martha and I recently released a trilogy of books, one of which is called iWork4Him: Change the way you think about Faith and Work. Inside, we highlight over 20 ministries dedicated to discipling people just like you and me about living out our faith in our work. One such ministry is Ambassadors for Business, founded by Bob Wilbanks.

In Bob’s contributing chapter to iWork4Him, he writes about how he was “miserably saved.” A condition where one is focused more on a life guided by the American Dream than on a life guided by Jesus. This mindset may have brought Bob worldly success riches, but it also led him down the road of alcoholism, cost him his first marriage, and almost cost him his second. He was on the fast track to disaster.

In the end, God allowed Bob to come to the end of his rope. He allowed it so that Bob would realize that he couldn’t save himself, that he needed a Savior – the same one he had been holding out on for years.

I love Bob’s story because it’s so relatable. So many of us have been deliriously deceived into thinking that the American Dream is, in fact, in alignment with the Christian life. But in reality, they are diametrically opposed. The American Dream is focused on “self” and “stuff.” Meanwhile, the Christ follower is focused on “Jesus” and “others.” Pretty different, right?

Bob got lost in the money and fame and almost destroyed everything around him that really mattered. He got caught up in self and stuff instead of Jesus and others. And guess what, his story is repeated every day all across America! People who are so focused on succeeding in the eyes of the world that they completely miss out on God’s definition of success.

So, what about you? Are you miserably saved? Do you feel like your faith gets in the way of your dreams and ambitions? Or are your dreams and ambitions guided and set by your faith?

Remember, true faith will direct you to set aside yourself and your selfish ambitions to seek what God’s will and God’s purpose are for you. When you rest in the promises of God and value the type of success that bears eternal fruits, you will cultivate a flourishing faith and abundant life. Romans 12:2 says it best: “Stop Copying the behavior and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…”

Pause for a moment and ask yourself: Does your life reflect the statement “iWork4Him,” or does it reflect “I work for me”?