How do you handle failure?
Do you beat yourself up with “I should have!” or do you try to hide it?
Some people’s pride prevents them from acknowledging failure. Take Peter, for instance.
On that last supper Jesus had with His disciples he told them that they would all forsake him. “Not me!” Peter exclaimed boldly, “I am ready to die for you.”
“Yes, you also will deny me,” Jesus responded. “But when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up your brothers” Luke 22:32 (LT)
Jesus confronted Peter with his weakness but not in a condemning way. “You will fail me like the rest, Peter, but remember that’s not the end of our relationship.” Then he showed Peter the way back from failure: own up to it, repent of it, and come back to Me.”
That is good news for us too.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)
Not only does He cleanse us, but He redeems our failures. We learn dependency upon God and realize “it’s not me but Christ in me” that makes me strong. Because of his failure, Peter became a humble servant of God who could strengthen other weak believers.
Ruth Bell Graham writes,
“When thoughts of failures push their way into my consciousness, I let His total forgiveness dissolve my regrets and go on to praise Him who accepts us just as we are and lovingly works to make us more than we were. “God doesn’t expect us to be finished products now. We are works in progress.”
We can leave our failures with God. He does not condemn us. He will use them for good
Father, thank you that there is hope after failure. You forgive me and use my failures for good.
By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission
Further Reading
• God Uses Failure – by Max Lucado
• Overcoming Failure – by Charles Stanley
• Learning To Fail and Succeed in God – by Daniel Forster
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