Failure

How do we define failure? It seems that when we don’t succeed at something, we say we’ve failed. We didn’t win the championship, so we failed to win the championship. I didn’t get the job I wanted, I failed to get the job. I missed that shot, so I failed. I didn’t make millions of dollars, so I failed as a provider. I didn’t get the boy I wanted from this pregnancy so I’m a failure. That list could go on and on listing perceived failures. Why do we always talk about the fact that we all fail or that failure is inevitable? One of the things I want to do as I address the subject of failure is to redefine what failure means. At least what it means according to my definition because I believe it’s too easy to say, “I failed, therefore, I am a failure.” It’s too easy to make that jump from not getting something we wanted to suddenly pinning the failure tag on ourselves. At times we mess up. We sin, we do wrong, we make mistakes, we don’t do what we should do, in fact, Paul reminds us of that fact when he speaks personally about himself, saying "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing" (Romans 7:15). Some might label Paul as a failure. If we were Paul, we might have said, we’re failures. We can do the same when we don’t do what we believe we should be doing. However, my struggle with the word failure and failed is that it’s too easy of a label to pin on ourselves. So, let me tell you my take on failure.

Failure is inaction! Failure is not making an attempt to do what you believe you are supposed to do. If I try, then I have not failed. For example, if you didn't win the championship, some would say, maybe even you would say, you failed. But I don’t believe that's failure! You simply didn’t succeed as you had hoped. The fact that you competed and tried and worked to attain that goal is not failure. Failure would have been quitting, failure would have been not making the attempt. Think that through. Even if you tried out for the team and you got cut you didn’t fail. It’s easy to label yourself as a failure. But you didn’t fail!! You simply didn’t succeed in your pursuit to make the team. If you applied and interviewed and did the best you could, but didn’t get the job, you didn’t fail, you didn’t succeed as you hoped for. So, with that in mind, when we don’t succeed or even if we have failed, then we’ve opened ourselves up for an opportunity to have God work in our lives in a way that can change who we are. Let's examine some scriptures.

In Luke 22, after the supper, Jesus looked at the disciples and said, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ Peter answered Jesus, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to Him, Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!" And all the disciples said the same (Luke 22:31-35). We all know what happened. Peter did deny Jesus! He denied the very Savior He proclaimed was Christ the Son of God. Did you miss Jesus words-- YOU WILL ALL FALL AWAY BECAUSE OF ME THIS NIGHT? Jesus said ALL! That's an amazing statement!

Had Peter "failed" and blown his chance to spend eternity in heaven because of his blatant denial of Jesus? Not one denial mind you, three denials! Let's go on to verse 32 which is very enlightening. Jesus addresses Peter in verse 32 saying, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." What exactly was Jesus saying? Why would Jesus suggest Peter be "converted"? Wasn't Peter already converted? After all, he was a disciple! What does this mean? The word converted in this sense means to turn back, to return to, to turn again. If we understand that Jesus was telling Peter 'when you are converted' He was telling Peter and every Christian believer who follows Him, that Peter was going to turn around, that he would come back, that he would return and convert back from his temporary inaction to do the right thing. It also points out that Peter became weak because of one thing- fear, and it was a temporary weakness brought on by fear that made him deny he ever knew or had been associated with Jesus. Peter was not acting unlike many of us when we face choices to do the right thing becoming overwhelmed by disappointments, doubts, or insecurities, etc. How often have we taken a step back and denied that Jesus could resolve our problems, was listening to our prayers, or really cared what was happening in our lives? Have you ever denied you're a Christian in a crowd of secular people who are making fun of the bible and its promises? Did you remain silent? Your silence is a manifestation of fear. In those moments of testing, we can sometimes fail to act, but we are not failures. Peter did not fall away or abandon Christ altogether. The mere fact Jesus pointed out to Peter "when you are converted" (when you come back to me realizing your inaction to speak up) shows that we too mess up but Jesus still wants us (as He did Peter) to "convert", to come back, to turn around because in truth, we aren't failures! We are His people, His Church on earth, His called, His faithful. In other words, Luke 22:32 highlights the mercy of Christ yet once again. You see, sometimes when we mess up, instead of turning to God, we turn away from God. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done. Sometimes we think, ‘well, I did it now, God doesn’t love me anymore. God is probably super angry, shaking His head at me, trying to disown me as His child.’ But that’s not true! Jesus came and died for you, He loves you, you’re His child and you are passionately and unconditionally loved. He wants you to come to Him so you can find healing. Think about how crazy that thought process is. Why would God send Jesus into the world to forgive us, and then when we mess up, He would disown us. That’s the last thing on God’s mind and heart. He wants to bring healing and wholeness to you, not beat you up.

James 4 tells us, "Draw close to God and he will draw close to you." What is it that you are not succeeding in? Is there something going on in your life, in which you’re beating yourself up about it? You can’t forgive yourself? You can’t move forward? You believe you don’t deserve to be forgiven or redeemed so you move further from God, when in fact you should be drawing closer to God. What issues are you going through? Remember, the thief is Satan. And his job is to get you to believe you don’t deserve to have joy. You don’t deserve what’s good in life. You don’t deserve salvation. He wants you to believe you’re a total screw up, a sinner who’s unredeemable. He wants you to believe you’re a failure and what would God want with a messed up sinful failure. Well, Jesus wants that messed up, sinful failure. I don’t believe God sees us as failures. We are sinful, yes. So, Jesus came to give us life. He came to give you more than life. He wants you to more than survive through the tough times. He wants you to thrive. He wants you to live the abundant life that only He offers. It’s there and it’s available, but you have to call out to Jesus for the healing, help, strength, and power. We don’t do what we should do. We do what we shouldn’t do. But in God’s eyes, we’re His kids, He created us in His image so we have intrinsic worth because God is worthy. Now get up, brush yourself off, return, be converted and walk like you are a child of the KING because you are!
Until next time,
-Pat-