Self-Made or God-Led? Rethinking Our Drive for Independence

“You were hardwired to depend on God, so your dreams of self-reliance and self-sufficiency will prove to be more nightmares than dreams.” — Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies, July 15

We live in a culture that idolizes independence. It celebrates the “self-made” entrepreneur, the hustle grind, the “I did it my way” narrative. Scroll through LinkedIn or Instagram, and you’ll find countless voices telling you to “bet on yourself,” “never need anyone,” and “work until you no longer have to introduce yourself.” Ambition is applauded. Self-sufficiency is romanticized.

But Scripture paints a different picture.

As Paul David Tripp reminds us in his July 15 devotion, we weren’t created to go it alone. “You were hardwired to depend on God,” he writes. And yet, so many of us in our careers chase success with clenched fists—trying to control, to perform, to prove. We’ve bought into the lie that our worth is in our work and that relying on anyone—let alone God—is weakness.

I was recently scrolling through Instagram and paused on a short video that struck me: “What God creates, the devil seeks to destroy.”

God created us for relationship—with Him, with others, with our work. The enemy, however, whispers the opposite. He twists dependence into deficiency. He tells us that to be successful, we must be self-made, self-driven, self-obsessed. That we should be beholden to no one, blazing our own trail, proving our value with results. But this way of living, while it might yield short-term applause, leads us further from the freedom God offers.

Let me be clear: God isn’t against ambition. He’s not against dreams or goals or striving toward excellence in our work. In fact, He created us with gifts, passions, and a unique purpose. But here’s the key—those things can only bring true fulfillment when pursued with Him. Apart from Him, we may reach impressive heights, but we’ll never love what we become. We’ll end up burned out, restless, and still searching for more.

Your potential is not something you manifest. It’s something you discover—in constant conversation, communion, and dependence on God. He has crafted each of us for a specific role in His kingdom, and the only way to walk in that purpose is by walking with Him.

So no, independence isn’t inherently bad. And drive isn’t a sin. But self-reliance that edges out God? That’s a trap. We were made to work, to create, to lead—not alone, but in step with our Creator.

If your career has felt like a treadmill lately—constant motion with little peace—maybe it’s time to shift the question from “What can I do to succeed?” to “God, what are You calling me to do, and how can I depend on You to do it?”

Let’s stop chasing dreams that become nightmares and start leaning into the One who gives rest, direction, and purpose. Because in Him, we’re not just successful—we’re whole.