The Illusion of Self-Made Success

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Psalm 24:1; Psalm 50:10–12; Haggai 2:8

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

Culture praises self-made success, but Scripture exposes it as an illusion. Everything—resources, systems, breath—belongs to God. You didn’t create the world you benefit from; you inherited it by grace. Recognizing God’s ownership isn’t shameful; it’s freeing. You are not responsible for sustaining the universe. You are a steward, not a savior. When you stop pretending it all rests on you, you gain peace and perspective.

Where have I believed the lie that I am self-made, and how does acknowledging God’s ownership reshape my view of success?

Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Lord, free me from the burden of self-sufficiency. Help me rest in the truth that You are the owner and provider of all things.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Take Action:

1. Identify one area where pride or self-reliance has crept in and surrender it to God.
   
   
2. Practice generosity today as a reminder that what you have is not yours to hoard.