The success and the failure are not my concern, but His.

Opening Scene

The room is calm and quiet, the soft light of the late afternoon filtering through the window. The air feels still, with only the distant hum of life outside breaking the silence. Jack sits at the table, his hands folded, his expression thoughtful as he gazes at the papers in front of him. Jeeny stands by the window, looking out at the street below, her posture relaxed but her mind clearly elsewhere. The atmosphere is peaceful, yet there’s a sense of deeper reflection, like the quiet before an important conversation.

Host: After a moment, Jeeny turns from the window, her voice breaking the stillness with a quiet but deliberate tone.

Jeeny: “You ever think about how much we tie ourselves to the idea of success and failure? We’re so focused on the outcome, the results, that it often feels like they define us. But then I came across a quote by Joseph Barber Lightfoot that says, ‘The success and the failure are not my concern, but His.’ It really made me wonder — what if we let go of our obsession with success and failure and focused more on the process?”

Jack: “That’s an interesting perspective. It’s so easy to get caught up in results. We think success means we’ve ‘made it,’ and failure means we’ve failed. But Lightfoot’s words suggest that the outcomes aren’t in our hands, that we’re not supposed to control them. Instead, it’s about trusting the process and the bigger picture.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. It’s like letting go of the pressure to control everything. We think we need to achieve a certain level of success to feel validated, but maybe the real peace comes from accepting that we’re not in charge of everything. Sometimes, we’re just part of a bigger plan, and the outcome isn’t for us to decide.”

Jack: “It’s a shift in mindset, isn’t it? Instead of worrying about how things turn out, we focus on doing the best we can, trusting that what happens is beyond us. It reminds me of the idea of surrender, not in a defeatist way, but in a way that allows us to let go of the need to control and just be present in what we’re doing.”

Host: The conversation begins to deepen, as if Lightfoot’s quote has opened a new layer of reflection. Jack looks down at the papers in front of him, his mind clearly processing what they’re discussing, while Jeeny walks over to the table, sitting across from him, her voice steady as she continues.

Jeeny: “I think it’s about finding peace in the effort, not in the result. We’ve been conditioned to equate success with happiness, to think that once we achieve a certain goal, we’ll feel complete. But maybe it’s not the achievements that bring peace; it’s the acceptance of the journey itself, the trust that we’re doing our part and that the rest is out of our hands.”

Jack: “It’s true. The idea that success and failure are in someone else’s hands, in a way, relieves the pressure. We often attach our worth to the outcome, but what if the worth comes from the effort, the intention, and the commitment we put into something? It takes the weight off of us and places it where it belongs — on the bigger picture, not just the individual result.”

Jeeny: “And it frees us from the fear of failure. If we’re not obsessed with whether we succeed or fail, we can focus on what really matters — the work itself, the people we’re helping, the lives we’re touching. Success or failure becomes secondary when we’re doing things with purpose and integrity.”

Jack: “So, it’s about embracing uncertainty and trusting that the results are beyond us. We do what we can, we stay true to our values, and we let go of the need to measure everything by success or failure.”

Host: The conversation settles into a deeper, quieter understanding. The world outside continues, but inside, Jack and Jeeny reflect on the weight of Lightfoot’s words — that success and failure are not ours to claim, that there’s a greater force at work. The peace that comes from letting go of the need to control the outcome feels almost liberating, like a heavy burden lifting.

Jeeny: “I think it’s a reminder that we don’t have to have everything figured out. We don’t need to control every part of the journey. The effort, the intention — that’s what matters. The rest is in someone else’s hands.”

Jack: “And maybe that’s where we find true freedom. In surrendering the need to control everything, we actually gain peace — the peace of knowing that we’re doing our best and trusting that the outcome, whatever it is, is beyond our control.”

Host: As the evening deepens and the world outside quiets, the room feels filled with a shared understanding. True peace doesn’t come from chasing success or avoiding failure, but from trusting the process, letting go of the need to control, and finding meaning in the journey itself. The weight of Lightfoot’s words continues to settle between them, like a quiet revelation that in surrendering control, we are given the freedom to truly live.