The Upside of Adversity, Chapter 8

The final chapter in a four chapter section about various tests in The Upside of Adversity is called Test No. 4: The Success Test. There is a portion of this chapter called “Keys to Passing the Success Test,” so I thought I would share that list and a few things from each that stood out to me.

1. View Success as a Gift from God

First, learn to see all of your successes as a gift from God, not as your own achievement. The Lord is the source of all success, all elevation, all blessing. If you have a good mind and a healthy body, if you live in a land of opportunity, if you have a good education, if you’ve been given a few breaks, then you have much to be grateful for—and no cause for arrogance. You didn’t achieve success; you received it as a gift.

2. Learn How to Handle Praise

If someone gushes over your accomplishments, accept it, but don’t let it go to your head. Avoid the extremes of false modesty, and egotism. If someone praises you, just say “thank you” and move on. When you try to win praise, you are stealing from God. All praise belongs to Him.

3. Live a Humble Life

You need to voluntarily humble yourself before God—or God will have to humble you Himself. You must view yourself realistically. You should not have an inflated opinion of yourself, nor a deflated self-image. 

4. Be Held Accountable for Humility

Ask people to hold you accountable for a humble attitude. True humility accepts constructive criticism with an open mind.

5. Remember that God Saved You and has Plans for You

The very fact that Jesus Christ died to save us is humbling. God didn’t have to send His son to die in our place. In truth, we deserve nothing but everlasting punishment. Every good thing that happens in our lives is a blessing of God’s grace far beyond our deserving. Not only has God saved us from sin, but He also has actually chosen to accomplish His eternal plan through us, flawed and fallible as we are.