Failing at Failure

Sunday’s Monday

Failing at Failure

How quickly we learn that failure is unacceptable in today’s society. However, that which we are not taught is exactly how to deal with things of which we have such a limited understanding for. What specifically is failure? I looked it up on dictionary.com and found a host of definitions all based on self-inflicted expectation. It uses words such as unsuccessful, nonperformance, insufficiency, insolvent, along with a few other negative descriptive words and all words used, boil down to man’s expected outcome and / or a personal perception of desired results. As earthly beings we have been groomed to believe “Satan’s lies” of failure being a life ending devastation, of which we carry the mark of “less than” for the rest of our life!

I would like to neutralize this type of thinking with bible scriptures and common-sense thinking. To prove the point here is several great quotes from one of the world’s great inventors, Thomas Edison who said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work; The value of an idea lies in the using of it and Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless." As King David referred to in Psalm 119:71 (ESV), It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. Often times we perceive we’ve failed at something only to discover later that it was one of the greatest things that could have happened to us. Humans are very short sighted when it comes to seeing into the future and even more lacking when it comes to some of our decision-making abilities. Which is alluded to in Proverbs 3:5 (ESV), Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

However, our earthly perception can be changed to see things differently and alter the rest of our lives for the better! Once we accept the fact that success is measured through the internal goodness of spiritual gifts and not the temporal gain of external possessions! Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV), 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. I realize how this may sound to someone that hasn’t read it, or read it and never quite understood it; but Jesus told us through the writing of James how to cut our stress level, increase our peace of mind and gain the security needed to not worry of tomorrow. James 5:2-3 (ESV), 2 Your riches have rotted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.

The secret here is to fail at failure! We have to learn that in the beginning of our lives we knew nothing and had to be trained, taught and structured into who we are today. Now I’m not insinuating that this is bad because I know this training is necessary for our existence as species because we are not born adults nor with wisdom. However, what I am saying is our schooling may not have been correct or exampled accurately. Matthew 12:33 (ESV), “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. Our children will become failures, if we teach them to be self-centered, bullies, greedy, power hungry, uncaring and unashamed. As well it is not good to teach competitiveness and not example compassion. As most of us were inadvertently taught to be failures through what I call the numero uno syndrome. Ergo, that old saying “lonely at the top!” Number one is not exactly the best place to be in most situations.

Once we decide we can carry the total load of this world we are doomed for failure in the eyes of the world. We will experience a meltdown within our compass of good and moral, right and wrong, even black and white as everything begins to fall into a grey area where nothing is plain, clear or oblivious any longer. Both Heaven and earth see us as described in Proverbs 20:11 (ESV), Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright. Which leads to the cure which God has offered through the blood of Jesus. Ephesians 5:1 (ESV), Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. What this world counts as failure, God counts as failed! We fail the failure test when we allow Jesus to change our thinking from negative to positive. Proverbs 28:26 (ESV), 26 Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV), 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is. We all fail at failure once we observe and incorporate God’s will in our lives “daily!” Our perspective will change, as our lifestyle changes. Our choices improve greatly as we no longer make them alone and we find a peace of mind like no other, when we start trusting in Jesus. In God’s scheme of things, “FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!” So, may we all fail at failure. Read, study and live Mark 12:30-31 (ESV), 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

For email version send request to…pal249@hotmail.com…12/15/2019