The Shocking Truth About Success That No One’s Telling You
I chased success like it was salvation.
And for a while, it looked like I had caught it.
At 34, I sat in a corner office of a Fortune 200 company. I had the power, the paycheck, and the prestige—more money than I could spend, and more influence than I’d dreamed of.
It wasn’t a straight path. When I finally earned my degree at 28, my mentor gave me Secrets of Six-Figure Women. I remember thinking, “She believes I could earn that much?”
I did. And then some.
Eventually, I surpassed her. I had the job, the luxury car, the beautiful home, the curated life, and a church seat I warmed every Sunday. I was doing all the “right” things.
On paper, I was winning. But in my soul?
I was searching.
There was a quiet ache I couldn’t explain. A lingering question that no title, no bonus, no applause could answer: “Is this all there is?”
As I reflect, I realize…I was living the same story as the rich young ruler.
A Timeless Encounter
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, a wealthy, moral young man approached Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
He had:
- Wealth (comfort)
- Status (respect)
- Morality (kept the law)
- Youth (time)
- Religious knowledge
And yet he asked, “What do I still lack?”
It wasn’t sarcasm. It was sincere.
He had followed the rules, but he hadn’t found rest.
He obeyed the law, but he hadn’t experienced transformation.
He was doing everything right—and yet, his soul was still empty.
I know that feeling.
Jesus’ shocking response
“Sell all you have and give to the poor… then come, follow me.”
(Matthew 19:21)
And the man walked away sorrowfully.
Why? Because Jesus wasn’t just asking for his stuff, Jesus was asking for his heart.
Following Christ meant laying down everything the world had affirmed about him.
It meant releasing identity, success, and control to take the narrow path.
The man wanted eternal life, but he didn’t want to lose his life to gain it.
Then Jesus turned to His disciples and delivered a devastating truth:
“Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.”
(Matthew 19:23–24)
In that culture, wealth was seen as a sign of God’s blessing—so this was radical.
Jesus wasn’t just giving commentary — He was announcing divine truth that defied every assumption:
What comforts you in this life can cost you everything in the next—if it keeps you from following Him.
Even today, the question echoes
What do I still lack?”
Maybe that question has been whispering in your own heart—beneath the busyness, behind the business, under the accolades.
Maybe your performance has outpaced your peace.
Maybe your success has masked a longing your spirit can’t ignore. If so, you’re not alone.
Jesus is still inviting people today to let go of the world’s definitions of value and follow Him fully.
He’s not asking you to abandon success—
He’s asking you not to anchor your identity in it.
My Turning Point
It wasn’t until I surrendered my need to be seen, to be successful, to be in control, that I began to experience the kind of peace no promotion or paycheck could offer.
I found a deeper life, not because I earned it…
But because I let go of everything that was keeping me from it.
A Final Word
“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
(Matthew 6:33)
This encounter with the rich young ruler wasn’t just a historical footnote.
It was a deeply instructive moment—so significant that it’s preserved three times in Scripture because every generation needs to hear it.
So let me ask you again…What’s in your wallet?
Your status? Your savings? Your reputation? Or…your surrender?
Salvation can’t be bought. Eternal life isn’t earned. But it is offered—freely—to those who will: “Deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
