How Should I Respond to Failure?
Joshua said, “Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all – to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordon!” Joshua 7:7
Have you ever considered that some of the greatest lessons in life come through difficult times, when you’ve failed? Reality did not meet your expectations in some arena of life – a business venture, a church activity, a relationship. Perhaps learning to deal with that failure, and gaining wisdom and strength in the process, was a success in itself. In our modern, success-oriented society, failure is not accepted or allowed in the minds of most people. Yet some of the greatest success stories in history grew out of failure.
Take Thomas Edison, who invented the light bulb, Historians estimate that Edison tried thousands of wires until he found one that would glow for a long time. Each time Edison failed with using one kind of wire, he learned what would not work. Each failure left him with a better understanding of what might work. Finally, after numerous failures, Edison found success.
Throughout Scripture, we see that our heavenly Father uses failure to teach spiritual lessons. Sometimes, as He did with the Israelites, He uses failure to reveal sin in our lives. Other times, the Lord uses failure to teach us that we cannot do anything without Him, or that He has a better plan for our lives. Through all of these experiences, the Lord teaches us to trust Him completely.
It is encouraging to know that God never allows an experience - success or failure – to come into our lives without using it to change us into the image of His Son. *
Heavenly Father, failure is so hard to accept and even more difficult to experience. Forgive me, Lord, for having resentment and bitterness when things do not go as I plan. Help me see Your hand at work in my life in all situations. Use these times, Lord to mold me into the character of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
* Phil Waldrep, Trinity, AL