“From Scripture we know that God has deliberately limited the number of Christians He has chosen to be successful.  In the latter part of the first chapter of I Corinthians and in the first part of the second chapter the Apostle Paul explains why.  He says that not many wise, not many influential and not many noble have been called by God.  Then he gives two reasons why.  The first is that there is a tendency, even among Christians, to glory in their accomplishments.  Yet God does not want any of us to do this in His presence.  The second reason is related to the apostle’s own experience with the Corinthian church.  He said that he came to them in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.  This was because he did not want their faith to stand in his wisdom but in God’s power.  Far too frequently successful Christians tend to attract others to themselves rather than to the Lord. . . . From Scripture we know also that God’s people down the centuries have stood adversity far better than they have prosperity.  That may be another reason why few of us are successful.”

Hudson T. Armerding, “The Challenge of Success,” Baccalaureate Address, Wheaton College, 21 May 1978.