A Happy and Successful Life

 Joshua 1:8 (NLT)
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

What does a truly happy and successful life look like? Is it peace? Direction? Stability? Or is it simply knowing you’re walking where God has called you to walk? Everyone wants to prosper. Everyone wants to succeed. But as those who love and honor God, we must recognize that He does not define success the way the world does—and He never has.

We see this clearly in the Old Testament after the death of Moses, when the moment came to establish Joshua as Israel’s leader. Our Heavenly Father did not complicate the assignment. He made it clear, direct, and non-negotiable. God commanded His people to study His Word.

To study means to devote time and focused attention to something. This is how God expects us to approach His Word. Scripture was never meant to be an occasional activity or a once-in-a-while practice. God commanded His people in the Old Testament to study His Word continually, and that same instruction applies to us today.

As a new year begins, many of us are thinking about commitments—what we want to change, strengthen, or finally be consistent with. But one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is also one of the most lasting: a renewed devotion to God’s Word.

Our Heavenly Father makes this clear in Psalm 1:2–3 (NLT): “They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” From the beginning, God has called His people to give themselves to His Word, not casually, but fully. And that call still stands. When we choose Scripture as a priority—especially at the start of a new year—we’re not just forming a habit; we’re allowing Christ Himself to shape our thinking, our decisions, and the direction of our lives. God honors that kind of devotion, and He uses it to bring clarity, growth, and strength that reach far beyond the calendar.

When we study and meditate on Scripture, we can trust that God sees it, honors it, and responds to it. He promises prosperity and success not as the world defines it, but as He defines it—lives ordered by His wisdom and led by His Spirit. James 1:25 (NLT) reminds us, “But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” The reward is not just in what God gives, but in who we become as His Word takes root and begins to guide our lives.

In the New Testament, we’re reminded that God’s Word is not passive or distant—it is alive, purposeful, and active in our everyday lives. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) tells us, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” This means Scripture doesn’t just inform us; it reaches beneath the surface. It helps us discern what’s coming from our emotions, what’s driven by fear or habit, and what is truly being led by God’s Spirit. God’s Word brings clarity where we’ve been confused and truth where we’ve been avoiding honest reflection.

Many people in our time are no longer responding to God—or to life—through His Word. Instead, they’ve turned away from His wisdom, labeling Scripture as outdated or antiquated. “People can’t live that way now,” some say, using that reasoning as permission to dismiss what God has clearly spoken. But this way of thinking comes at a high cost.

Our Heavenly Father is brilliant beyond measure, and so is His Word. He has fully equipped us to live holy and righteous lives, and He has designed every part of our existence to be shaped after our Big Brother, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT), “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.”

Studying God’s Word is both a privilege and a responsibility. It’s how we stand approved before Him. When we commit ourselves to knowing Scripture and living by the example of Christ, we grow wiser and spiritually stronger. And as we walk in obedience, we step into the kind of joy and success God promised—lives shaped by His truth, strengthened by His Spirit, and ordered by His wisdom. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“A Happy and Successful Life”, written for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2025. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.