Friday, January 11, 2008

Ever feel like a failure?

Yes I have. I can't count how many times I've felt that I've failed. It's one of those things that is common to man. We all know, we've all been there.

I recently had an experience that made me feel like I'd shipwrecked. I let myself and others down. It's been on my mind--eating at me and washing away memories of successes. I ask myself, "Why does this happen? I'm mature in age and in my Christian walk, yet I allow these "negative" life experiences to get me down. I ought to know better than to wallow in guilt and self-doubt. They benefit no one."

In truth failing's not all bad--in fact we should desire it. What!? Did I really say that? Yep. Goofing up provides opportunity to learn. We need to allow the fertile soil of failure to grow us. Some of my best lessons have come from my greatest disappointments. Course there are those failures I continue to battle and probably will until I step into eternity. If I let them rule my life, they may destroy the good work God has in mind for me. So, I try not to dwell.

The enemy can have a hayday with our missteps. That is if we allow him to reign in our lives. We can get focused on whatever it is that we did wrong or whatever didn't measure up to our expectations. We get stuck and sometimes become too afraid to do anything and end up parking ourselves in a comfort zone that produces no fruit.

What might we do differently? How about if we ask God what he wants us to gain from the experience? Look at Him instead of the stumble we've taken. He has so much to teach; all He needs is for us to be teachable.

The world of writing is all about mistakes. Writing is rewriting. My days are filled with repairing my work and hoping I can brng it to a place where it shines. I can look at each rewrite as if its a failure or I can see it as one step closer to success. I'll take success, thank you.

I don't mean to belittle our blunders--some of them are biggies with lasting consequences. But allowing failure to derail us could mean a life wasted. That's a tragedy.

It's not easy to get back on that "horse" that dumped us, but what is our alternative? The "I'm stupid, no good at anything" junk we tell ourselves gangs up on us and brings a smile to the lips of our enemy.

So . . . what I want you to know is that failure is momentary and human. Even the worst of our failures need not stop us. Let's encourage each other to move forward--afraid yet courageous. God wants us to trust Him. And He offers us the gift of His love, which never falls short of expectations and covers all our blunders.

We're not alone. God sees it all--the mother who didn't do it right every time, the doctor who missed a diagnosis, or the attorney who couldn't see the pitfalls of a case. No matter what it is we think we've done that can't be repaired, God sees it and His grace covers it all.

We're more than our performances--we're God's creation. And His plans are bigger than our failures.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:16 PM

    Dear Bonnie,

    Thank you for this message.I often struggle with a constant battle in my mind with my thoughts, and I feel ashamed because it seems like their is no limit to what my mind thinks... bad things. I feel like their is no good inside of me, and I feel like a hypocrite because people see the good behavior I show on the outside and say I am a good person. I know and God knows what my inner struggles are, and I hope that if people don't know my inner struggles but rather the good things I say or do that that means I am trying to be a good Christian insight and out. But God loves me no matter how bad my inner self can be. I hope He reforms me soon for His purpose. Pray that I receive sufficient strength to come through with His guidance.

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  2. Dear anonymous.

    Thank you for sharing your heart. It's not easy to be transparent.

    Many of us struggle with our inner thoughts; we are human beings after all. In 2 Corinthians 10 we are instructed to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ, which means to reign in those thoughts and feelings that distract us from His good will.

    God offers help. Go to Philippians 4:8-9. These veres have helped me.

    We are a work in progress. None of us is without sin and we will not know perfection while on this earth. Try not to be too hard on yourself. We are being transformed into the likeness of Christ one step at a time.

    God's not done with you. He knows your heart and loves you just as you are. Hand yourself over to Him and He will assist you on your path.

    May He bless you abundantly.

    Bonnie

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  3. Anonymous3:04 PM

    Bonnie,
    As I am reading your story on "Ever feel like a failure?" it brings tears to my eyes, because many times I have felt like a failure in many ways. But as I get older which I am now 66 I think of the past and how I could of changed things, but then I am reminded that I can only go forward, and hope that I have learned by my mistakes and so called failures. A friend of mine recently shared a book with me, just in case your readers might be interested. It is "Battlefield of the Mind, by Joyce Meyer" it is really good. Thank you for your messages. God Bless Donna

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  4. Donna, thanks for sharing. And you are so right, we need to move forward.

    I've noticed Joyce Meyer's new book and thought it looked good. I'll have to get a copy.

    Blessings to you,

    Bonnie

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