God Teaches Through Our Failures

"Steve Jobs (the late CEO of Apple) found what he loved and followed his passion through successes and failures, through health scares and challenges in the office. I’ll remember Jobs not for his prescient thinking or innovative mind. I’ll remember Jobs for succeeding when no one would have blamed him for being a failure. Jobs wasn't gift-wrapped anything in life…quite the contrary, he was presented with every burden, hurdle and obstacle one could ask for."  -Jim Armstrong, Steve Jobs, A Story of Perseverance

How do you handle failure? Nothing in this life comes easy. We have all tasted failure in our lives at one time or another. I could share many failures in my own life; some worse than others. But, how a person handles failure can determine whether you will live a life of victory, or live a life filled with bitterness, hostility and anger.

Let me ask you this: "How do you work through failure? Do you believe that failure is not the end of the world; that it has a purpose? Even the Apostle Paul experienced failure after failure, but you know, he made it victoriously through every failure with God's help.

When we experience our own failures, what kinds of questions run through our minds? “Why are people doing this to me?” “Why is God allowing this to happen to me?” Or perhaps: “I've been keeping my prayer life current; walking with the Lord; staying obedient to His Word so why is this happening to me now?”

Some more suitable questions to ask might be: “What can I learn through this experience?” “What is God teaching me through this failure?” Maybe we should looking at our situation from a different perspective, God's perspective.

If failure and change prompts us to look up, make new commitments, and surrender to the Lord – then we can praise Him. Thus, how you handle failure is critical to your life today and in the future. A common truth is that we all experience some kind of failure. Nevertheless, to God, the principal truth is how you respond to it. Think of failure as a blessing if it pushes you to humble yourself before God, and dwell in His eternal light.

Scripture: Philippians 4:13; Galatians 6:7; 1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13; Ephesians 2:8-9

Prayer:

Lord, are you trying to tell me something?

For:

Failure doesn't mean I'm a failure.
It does mean I haven't yet succeeded.

Failure doesn't mean I have accomplished nothing.
It does mean I have learned something.

Failure doesn't mean I have been a fool.
It does mean I had enough faith to experiment.

Failure doesn't mean I've been disgraced.
It does mean I dared to try.

Failure doesn't mean I don't have it.
It does mean I have to do something in a different way.

Failure doesn't mean I am inferior.
It does mean I am not perfect.

Failure doesn't mean I've wasted my life.
It does mean I have an excuse to start over again.

Failure doesn't mean I should give up.
It does mean I must try harder.

Failure doesn't mean I'll never make it.
It does mean I need more patience.

Failure doesn't mean you have abandoned me.
It does mean you must have a better idea!

Amen.

-special thanks to R. Schuller

God bless you!

Sarah