Psalms 31:10
9Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
9Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
Failure can either break us or make us. Have you ever failed at something? Perhaps a test or a class while attending school. Or maybe you have failed at your marriage or your health is failing now? Have you ever failed at something in your life? The definition of failure is to lose strength – or to be unsuccessful.
My daughter Peyton’s soccer team just won the local leagues’ championship, in fact they were 10 and 0. All of the parents were excited about their success and so was I. Nevertheless I have also been in prayer that the children grow to understand that life is not all about winning, but how one reacts and responds to failure.
Our economy is on rather shaky right now. The Associated Press reports that suicides are on the rise. There are people out there willing to kill themselves because they believe that they have lost it all and failed. The spirit of failure can attach itself to you when you begin to listen to those negative around you! “You cannot do that!” or “You cannot do this!” “You are too short… too tall… too fat… too skinny.. YOU CAN’T! Those broken by failure are haunted by unpleasant memories. These memories are like shadows that lurk in front, behind, beside, beneath and above. It is also a cage that traps the mind, preventing it to entertain possibilities of freedom and success. They are convinced that they cannot do it; therefore, they will not try. Many simply give up, even on life!
Yes, if you are not trusting on the word of God you will be overcome by failure. The bible tells us in (2 Corinthians 12: 9 and 10) 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. Yes, I hope you fail!
You may go through your entire life and no one has anything good to say to you or about you. However, at the same time, God is calling on you to be the king or queen for which he has destined you to be. Like Samuel told David, there is a king or queen inside of you. David replied “I am just a boy, a sheep herder, smelling like sheep, looking terrible!” In other words, David saw himself as a failure in the eyes of the world. But God had other plans and David was made King of Israel. Yes, I hope you fail!
When each of us as Christians begin to understand that man’s failure can be God’s preparation for his blessings; we can begin to understand the verse in (Romans 8:28) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose." When you fail at things in life God is getting you ready for his blessings. He is teaching you how to rely on His strength and not that of your own.
History has been kind to President Abraham Lincoln. He has been painted as probably the greatest president of the United States of America. It is the good thing that history also recorded his failures. It reflected his frail humanity but also showed his attitude of never giving up. These failures could not stop him, he kept moving forward. The following is a short list of his ups and downs and ups.
My daughter Peyton’s soccer team just won the local leagues’ championship, in fact they were 10 and 0. All of the parents were excited about their success and so was I. Nevertheless I have also been in prayer that the children grow to understand that life is not all about winning, but how one reacts and responds to failure.
Our economy is on rather shaky right now. The Associated Press reports that suicides are on the rise. There are people out there willing to kill themselves because they believe that they have lost it all and failed. The spirit of failure can attach itself to you when you begin to listen to those negative around you! “You cannot do that!” or “You cannot do this!” “You are too short… too tall… too fat… too skinny.. YOU CAN’T! Those broken by failure are haunted by unpleasant memories. These memories are like shadows that lurk in front, behind, beside, beneath and above. It is also a cage that traps the mind, preventing it to entertain possibilities of freedom and success. They are convinced that they cannot do it; therefore, they will not try. Many simply give up, even on life!
Yes, if you are not trusting on the word of God you will be overcome by failure. The bible tells us in (2 Corinthians 12: 9 and 10) 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. Yes, I hope you fail!
You may go through your entire life and no one has anything good to say to you or about you. However, at the same time, God is calling on you to be the king or queen for which he has destined you to be. Like Samuel told David, there is a king or queen inside of you. David replied “I am just a boy, a sheep herder, smelling like sheep, looking terrible!” In other words, David saw himself as a failure in the eyes of the world. But God had other plans and David was made King of Israel. Yes, I hope you fail!
When each of us as Christians begin to understand that man’s failure can be God’s preparation for his blessings; we can begin to understand the verse in (Romans 8:28) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose." When you fail at things in life God is getting you ready for his blessings. He is teaching you how to rely on His strength and not that of your own.
History has been kind to President Abraham Lincoln. He has been painted as probably the greatest president of the United States of America. It is the good thing that history also recorded his failures. It reflected his frail humanity but also showed his attitude of never giving up. These failures could not stop him, he kept moving forward. The following is a short list of his ups and downs and ups.
1831 – Failed in business
1832 – Defeated for legislature
1833 – Again failed in business
1834 – Elected to legislature
1835 – Sweetheart died
1836 – Had a nervous breakdown
1838 – Defeated for speaker
1840 – Defeated for elector
1843 – Defeated for Congress
1846 – Elected for Congress
1848 – Defeated for Congress
1855 – Defeated for Senate
1856 – Defeated for Vice-President
1858 – Defeated for Senate
1860 – ELECTED PRESIDENT
He was defeated more times than he won, but that did not mean he was a failure. Remember, that failures are only permanent if you stop trying. I believe the only real failure is the failure of not moving on. I tell the people who work for me that if they are not failing at something; that they are either dead or not doing anything! Yes, I hope you fail!
Here are a few modern day examples of failures... Michael Jordan was cut from his junior varsity basketball team in high school. He was told to play baseball because he was no good at basketball; Today the brother has six world titles, Yes! I hope you fail!
Anita Baker sent her demo to all of the major record companies; Arista Records sent her a letter and told her not to quit her day job. Today, Anita Baker has several Grammies and the hit “I’m Giving You The Best That I've Got.” Yes, I hope you fail!
Sean Puffy Combs was in special education and rode the short bus to school. Today he is worth more than 300 million dollars! Yes, I hope you fail!
The Apostle Paul, whose name was Saul before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, was persecuting the church, but after he met Jesus he said “I count all my pass failures as dong!” Some biblical scholars see Paul as a failure because he got himself thrown in jail, but he did some of his best writings while in there. In fact he is credited with writing much of the New Testament. Yes, I hope you fail!
In closing let me say that failures are sure to come in some form or fashion. It is a result of sin. Not specifically your sin but the sin of man. Nevertheless, there was a man named Jesus. They lied on him, they beat on him, they falsely accused him, and they hung him on the cross and they said he was a failure too. But he did all of this freely! He failed so that you and I can live. Then he was raised from the dead three days later in triumph and victory! Yes, I hope you fail!
Yes, even I have failed in some business ventures. I have failed some classes. I have failed at some promises. I have failed in some relationships. I have had failing health, but through it all I found strength and the victory through Jesus! I suspect that I may fail a few more times during my life on this earth; but I know that this week I will not fail to give God the glory! I will not fail to give God the Honor, I will not fail to give God the praise. It’s O.K. to fail sometimes in life. It is never OK to fail God! When you are seeking to be more like Jesus failure is simply a spring board to success. Have a blessed week, In Jesus’ Name… Amen!
1832 – Defeated for legislature
1833 – Again failed in business
1834 – Elected to legislature
1835 – Sweetheart died
1836 – Had a nervous breakdown
1838 – Defeated for speaker
1840 – Defeated for elector
1843 – Defeated for Congress
1846 – Elected for Congress
1848 – Defeated for Congress
1855 – Defeated for Senate
1856 – Defeated for Vice-President
1858 – Defeated for Senate
1860 – ELECTED PRESIDENT
He was defeated more times than he won, but that did not mean he was a failure. Remember, that failures are only permanent if you stop trying. I believe the only real failure is the failure of not moving on. I tell the people who work for me that if they are not failing at something; that they are either dead or not doing anything! Yes, I hope you fail!
Here are a few modern day examples of failures... Michael Jordan was cut from his junior varsity basketball team in high school. He was told to play baseball because he was no good at basketball; Today the brother has six world titles, Yes! I hope you fail!
Anita Baker sent her demo to all of the major record companies; Arista Records sent her a letter and told her not to quit her day job. Today, Anita Baker has several Grammies and the hit “I’m Giving You The Best That I've Got.” Yes, I hope you fail!
Sean Puffy Combs was in special education and rode the short bus to school. Today he is worth more than 300 million dollars! Yes, I hope you fail!
The Apostle Paul, whose name was Saul before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, was persecuting the church, but after he met Jesus he said “I count all my pass failures as dong!” Some biblical scholars see Paul as a failure because he got himself thrown in jail, but he did some of his best writings while in there. In fact he is credited with writing much of the New Testament. Yes, I hope you fail!
In closing let me say that failures are sure to come in some form or fashion. It is a result of sin. Not specifically your sin but the sin of man. Nevertheless, there was a man named Jesus. They lied on him, they beat on him, they falsely accused him, and they hung him on the cross and they said he was a failure too. But he did all of this freely! He failed so that you and I can live. Then he was raised from the dead three days later in triumph and victory! Yes, I hope you fail!
Yes, even I have failed in some business ventures. I have failed some classes. I have failed at some promises. I have failed in some relationships. I have had failing health, but through it all I found strength and the victory through Jesus! I suspect that I may fail a few more times during my life on this earth; but I know that this week I will not fail to give God the glory! I will not fail to give God the Honor, I will not fail to give God the praise. It’s O.K. to fail sometimes in life. It is never OK to fail God! When you are seeking to be more like Jesus failure is simply a spring board to success. Have a blessed week, In Jesus’ Name… Amen!
By: Elder Michael L. Hargett
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