As we close off another year to start a new one, many reflect on the past. Whether it is to remember the successes, regret the mistakes or simply enjoying the memories of happy moments, there is something about a new year that makes us want to have a new beginning, a new perspective even.
As much as we enjoy success, often we look at failures and experience feelings of regret, guilt or even anger and bitterness. If failure is not put in proper perspective, it can cause long lasting damaging effects. A proper perspective is such a powerful tool, and there are countless books on this topic. A great one is Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell, who suggests that the major difference between achieving people and average people is their perception of, and response to failure.
But what does the Bible say about failure? Obviously, sin is the original failure as the root word for sin in Hebrew literally means missing the mark, or in other words, failure. But apart from sin, which is born out of rebellion to God, we can also fail in reaching our God-given potential and miss what God had in store for us. So, what are some ways to prevent failure and stay the course?
1 Chronicles 28:20 (NLT) Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly.
Courage and perseverance certainly help in preventing failure, especially if we have the confidence that God approves of our work. Just as we would like to gain the approval of our employers or customers for a job well done, so we also would like to hear Jesus say one day that He is happy with what we have done with what we were given.
And this is where perspective comes in. It is easy to be discouraged when we feel we are not accomplishing anything worthwhile but knowing that God does not fail or abandon us when we make mistakes along the way is very encouraging. He started a good work in us, and He will see it to completion.
Proverbs 15:22 (NLT) Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
Solomon in all his wisdom, counseled that good advice from the right people also helps prevent failure. We can circumvent so many mistakes by learning from others who have been where we are and seeing what they did wrong and how they stayed strong. Asking for advice from experts is not a sign of weakness, it is a declaration of wisdom.
And this is part of the learning experience. We can learn a lot from our own mistakes, and we can learn even more from other’s mistakes and save ourselves a whole lot of trouble. So let go of pride and stubbornness and find someone that has been there, done that and got the T-shirt.
Lamentations 3:23 (NLT) Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
How refreshing is it to know that God’s great faithfulness is like a fresh batch of bread delivered daily to sustain us, just like He sustained the Israelites for 40 years with their daily manna. This does not only help prevent failure, but it also helps us start over after we have failed.
But how do we muster the courage to move ahead after we have failed? It is often demotivating and affects us physically, emotionally, and mentally. If not managed properly, failure or rather, the incorrect response to failure can cause depression and other mental illnesses.
1 Corinthians 10:6-7a (NLT) These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did…
Remember that failure can be helpful. As mentioned earlier, reflecting on our own failures or the failures of others can teach us important lessons about what to avoid in the future. We don’t have to keep on repeating the same mistake over and over.
So be contentious about review, reset, and redeploying your strategies and take the bold step of trying again. Do not quit before you have accomplished what you have set out to do. Don’t allow temporary setbacks to define your potential.
Joshua 8:1 (NLT) Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged…”
And once you start out again, don’t be afraid of failing again! Failure wins when you accept defeat and give up. Joshua was one of the boldest, most loyal generals under Moses, yet God had to remind him constantly to not be afraid or discouraged.
Failure is not the end, it’s an opportunity for a new beginning. You can recover and move on, there is always a way out if you just patiently ask God to show it to you and then listen when He speaks.
In conclusion, realize that God’s work is not limited by our failures. He does not reject us in our weaknesses but rather embraces us so that we can receive the strength to be all that He intended us to be.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NLT) This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
One of the biggest advantages of having Jesus, who was fully God, been born as a mere human to die for our sins, is that God now understands our weaknesses. You can only sympathize with someone going through a difficult time if you have not been where they are. But once you’ve gone through similar situations you can show empathy because you know what it feels like.
Through Jesus, God knows what we are struggling with, so we can approach Him with confidence that He knows exactly what is wrong and how to do things better. Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, said it very well, and I want to encourage you to take this as a promise from God, to you, today.
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT) Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
