Day 163: Faith Over Success (2026)

In this powerful episode of The Bible in a Year, Fr. Mike Schmitz confronts a profound spiritual paradox: success is not the measure of faithfulness—faithfulness is. As he walks through 1 Kings 13, 2 Chronicles 12–13, and the Song of Solomon, he reveals how God’s covenant with Judah—though small and seemingly weak—was the vessel through which He would fulfill His promise to redeem the world. The story of the unnamed prophet from Judah who disobeys God’s command to avoid food and drink in Bethel, despite a false prophecy from a respected elder, ends in tragic death by lion. This moment becomes a stark warning: even when authority figures speak, we must remain anchored to God’s direct word. Fr. Mike drives home the lesson that true spiritual victory comes not from numbers, wealth, or military might, but from unwavering loyalty to God’s will. He contrasts Rehoboam’s loss of gold shields to bronze—symbolizing a kingdom’s collapse after turning from God—with Abijah’s triumph over Israel’s army, not by strength, but by faith. The episode culminates in a breathtaking reflection on the Song of Solomon: God’s love for us is not earned, but given first. We are not called to be successful, but faithful—echoing St. Mother Teresa’s profound truth: 'God does not desire me to be successful. He merely desires me to be faithful.' This is not a call to mediocrity, but to radical obedience.