BOUNCING BACK FROM FAILURE
Have you ever made a mistake? Welcome to the human race.
James 3:2 We all stumble in many ways.
We’re all living proof of this verse. But everybody wants to be a success – nobody wants to be a failure. Come to think of it, I’ve never met anybody in life who’s said, “My goal in life is to fail.” Everyone wants to succeed. As a society, this puts a lot of stress on us because failure is a part of life. Yet, many people will do anything – lie, cheat, steal – in order to succeed. It’s that important.
But failure doesn’t have to be terminal.
One of the best ways to bounce back from failure is to redefine it.
1. Failure is not failing to reach your dreams. Failure is not having a dream.
2. Failure is not setting a goal and missing it. Failure is not having a goal.
3. Failure is not falling down. Failure is refusing to get back up.
If at first you don’t succeed, big deal! It’s usually the second, third, or fourth time you actually get it right. You are never a failure until you give up. Remember, everybody fails.
Failure has its benefits
Did you know that one of God’s primary tools in making you the kind of person he wants you to be is failure? God uses failures in your life to mold you, shape you, and develop your character. Whenever I make a mess of something, it almost always drives me to my knees. This is a good thing because it ultimately redirects the focus from my limited resources and helps me tap in to God’s unlimited resources. Wise people learn from failure and use it to their advantage. One old saying that I often quote: “We should grow through what we go through.”
Psalm 119:71 My troubles turned out all for the best. They forced me to learn from God’s textbook.
God’s textbook is the Bible and it is often in the midst of failure that we open its pages
searching for truth, instruction, comfort, support, and encouragement.
God’s grace is often found in failure
God is not surprised when you fail. He knows it’s going to happen. In fact, he expects it. And even when you do fail, God doesn’t stop loving you. That’s called grace.
Psalm 103:14 God knows what we’re made of. He remembers that we are dust.
He knows the frailties of your humanity. He doesn’t expect you to be perfect and more importantly, he doesn’t stop loving you when you fail. It doesn’t matter what failure you’ve gone through or which one you’re going through right now. Big or small, it hasn’t changed God’s purpose for your life. Allow God to teach you, motivate, and grow you through your failure. He still has a plan for your life and a place for you in this world.
Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Let’s all learn to turn setbacks into comebacks.
Pastor Fernando Villicana
Fire Department Chaplain
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