The Illusion of Making It: Why Worldly Success and Christian Success Still Miss the Kingdom

Worldly Making It: Hustle, grind, get yours, prove yourself.

In today’s world, everyone is chasing the appearance of “making it.” Scroll through social media and you’ll see people living the highlight reel: luxury vacations, family photos, business ventures, big houses, and smiling faces. It’s presented as “the good life.”

But Christians do the same thing. Instead of yachts and mansions, it’s Bible verses on Instagram, a platform to speak from, followers who cheer them on, and a public image of being “blessed and highly favored.” Both camps — worldly and Christian — project the same thing: success equals proof of life well lived.

The truth? Neither is Kingdom.

The Shared Design of “Making It”

The world says you’ve “made it” when you’ve achieved wealth, power, status, or recognition. The church often echoes the same formula — only with Christian packaging. Now “making it” looks like publishing a book, preaching on a big stage, building a following, or branding yourself as a Christian success story.

But both systems run on the same operating model: appearance and applause.

Worldly Making It: Hustle, grind, get yours, prove yourself.

Christian Making It: Serve, strive, look blessed, build a ministry brand.

Shared Message: “Do and show, so others know you’ve arrived.”

It’s the same stage with different props.

Why It Looks Like Some “Make It” Without Surrender

From the outside, it appears some people “make it” — in life or in faith — without surrendering to Christ or dying to self. They live comfortable lives, carry Christian labels, and gain recognition.

But Jesus already warned us: appearances can deceive. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father” (Matthew 7:21).

In other words, some may look like they’re in, but they’re only near the Kingdom. Without death to self, there is no true entry. Without surrender, there is no discipleship.

The Kingdom Mindset: A Radical Contrast

The Kingdom of God measures success completely differently:

Worldly Success says: Get more.

Christian Success says: Look blessed.

Kingdom Success says: Lose yourself.

Jesus flipped the definition of arrival: “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

The Kingdom isn’t about applause, influence, or appearance. It’s about obedience, surrender, and transformation. True success is hidden in faithfulness, not broadcasted on a feed.

Why Neither System Works

The world’s version of making it ends in emptiness. The church’s version of making it ends in pride. Both fuel the ego. Both center self. Both create platforms for performance instead of altars for surrender.

Only the Kingdom demands the death of self. Only the Kingdom says: “Confession may look like salvation, but only surrender is transformation.”

Driving the Point Home

So the real question isn’t, “Have I made it?” The real question is, “Have I died to self?”

If your life still revolves around being seen, noticed, or applauded — you’ve made it in culture, not in the Kingdom.

If your brand is stronger than your obedience — you’ve made it in church, not in Christ.

If your highlight reel looks good but your heart is untouched — you’ve made it on earth, but you haven’t made it in Heaven.

The world applauds the highlight reel. The church often applauds the same. But Heaven looks at the hidden surrender.

Final Word

The world’s “good life” and the church’s “blessed life” may overlap in design, but neither reflect the true life of a Kingdom disciple. The only life that counts is the surrendered life. The only proof of “making it” in Christ is losing yourself in Him.

In the end, the measure isn’t applause, success, or followers. The measure is simple: Did you die to self so that Christ could truly live in you?