“Success will challenge your relationships much more than failure ever could.”

I heard this line in a sermon recently, and man, I was shouting amen.
I’ve gradually discovered that finding folks to wallow in mediocrity is relatively easy.
But very few people will sincerely celebrate your successes with you.

There are pastors in my city who gladly met with me for lunch when our church was broke and small.
A few of those pastors stopped responding to my invitations after Elevation reached a certain size and level of influence.
I’m not whining, because God knows I’ve got some really great friends who over-congratulate me every time God blesses my life. But I want to help you understand this principle:

Sometimes as God blesses your life, people who you considered to be your friends ‘til the end start to sneak out the back door. This is very hurtful, but it’s completely normal. And entirely necessary.
People who were there for you in times of struggle often abandon you in your season of success. I know, it seems counter intuitive-almost backward. You’d think that friends would be more likely to stay close when things are going well…
And sure, adversity has caused a few of my “friends” to bail.
But when success shows up, jealousy, insecurity, and resistance to change can smash meaningful relationships into a million pieces.

If you want God to bless you with Biblical, Christ centered success, there will be a high price to pay.
And often that price is the company of some of the people that you love dearly. People who you thought would be there for you no matter what.