How to Win at _____
When I lost my dad in 2009, I began to feel the ache of all the conversations we’d never have. As I got married and had kids, I found myself wishing he were here to pull me aside and teach me how to “win” at life—marriage, parenting, finances, leadership.
Over time, God has brought mentors and family into my life, but one of the richest sources of practical wisdom has been the book of Proverbs. It’s like a Heavenly Father pulling us aside and saying, “Here’s how life works best.”
If you want to “win” at whatever God’s put in front of you—marriage, parenting, work, or just life in general—here are a few Proverbs-shaped principles:
1. Get a vision and make a plan
Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit…” Many of us burn energy like a puppy with the zoomies—tons of motion, very little progress. Ask God for a picture of where He wants you, your family, your work to be in 5, 10, 20 years, and begin planning toward it.
2. Invite wise counsel
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22). Don’t only talk to people who will tell you what you want to hear. Seek out godly people who are actually winning in the areas you’re struggling.
3. Prioritize what matters most
Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom…” (Matthew 6:33). Life gets chaotic when our loves are out of order—when work outruns family, or family outruns love for God.
4. Walk at a holy pace
“All hard work brings a profit” (Proverbs 14:23), but Psalm 127 reminds us that frantic hustle is empty if God’s not in it. Faithfulness is often less about intensity and more about a long obedience in the same direction.
Action Steps:
1. Choose one area (marriage, finances, parenting, work) and write a 1-year and 5-year vision for it.
2. Identify one person who is strong in that area and schedule a time to ask them questions and learn from them.
This article used generative AI via Pulpit AI to transform one of Chris' sermons into this article. The content is original to CDM, with some help from Pulpit AI adapting it into article form.
