Failure is an option

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With the coming of a New Year, we wish things for ourselves and others. Primarily, success, prosperity, love, joy, peace and blessings. 

Found this article by Mary DeMuth in my inbox today and couldn't help thinking, SO true.

Failure is a product of this fallen world. It’s part of your story, I’m sure. I know it’s part of mine. Oddly, Jesus seems to LOVE to take our seeming failures and make a feast from them. He takes our brokenness and brings wholeness, if we let Him.

And yet, so many of us let failure dictate who we are, let it seep way down deep and taint our joy in today. It doesn’t have to. It doesn’t have that power.

Looking back, I can now attest that most of my recent growth was birthed from the time in my life where every day felt like a crushing blow. Have you experienced that? Are you experiencing that right now? Take courage. Failure can bring wisdom.
“Failure is the crucible God uses to increase Jesus and decrease us. It’s the venue God uses to increase our capacity for Himself" (Psalm 119:32 NASB).
The funny thing is I feel awfully small after failure. But my heart? It’s growing.

 Here are a few benefits of failure -

1.    Failure keeps us humble.
2.    Failure teaches us we don’t rule the world.
3.    Failure, if overcome, proves our tenacity.
4.    Failure invites community.
5.    Failure gives us the gift of perspective.
6.    Failure grows us more than victory.
7.    Failure softens our hearts to Jesus, if we let it.

You probably failed last year. I know I did. You will fail in 2013. That’s a part of this crazy life. What you can do differently is to put failure in its proper category—as a tutor to bring you closer to Jesus.

Jesus, I’m afraid of failure. I try to avoid it. And when I end up failing, I’m paralyzed. Please help me reframe the way I think of failure. I’d like to see it as a tutor toward growth instead of a stop sign for my life. Help me give my fear of failure to You, and please, let me grow-grow-grow this year no matter what kind of failure befalls me. Amen.

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