On Failure

Do we see God when we fail?

It’s an interesting question, one I’ve wrestled with from time to time in my life. First of all, I think we’ve got to get our minds around this concept of “failure”.

There are many who will state there is no such thing as failure, that failure is just getting one step closer to finding the ultimate answer. I didn’t used to agree with that notion, but then again, I spent a lot of years mired in pretty negative thinking. So, it’s no surprise that failure to me was just that…failure.

When I would try and fail, well, that was it for me, no more trying. I’d go on to something else, even if…especially if…what I was working to accomplish was a dream of mine. Failure to achieve that dream just meant to me it wasn’t to be. Hey, I told you I was a negative thinker years ago.

But, if we open our eyes and stare into the failure, especially those big old times when we’ve really blown it, really struck out, I think we’ll see something on the other side. Call it the “light of experience”, call it what you will, what you see on the other side, once the dust settles, is God giving us the insight we need to eventually overcome the odds.

Once we know this, once we recognize that God is always there, in every way possible, we begin to no longer fear failure. We recognize that if we ever wish to achieve our dreams, then we must fail from time to time, and that is in no way, shape, or form a bad thing. You see, God will always be there when we fail to pick us up, and point to the path that will work. If we look hard enough, we’ll see Him after the disappointment at our failure begins to fade (when I say “see” Him, well, I personally believe that that how you will see him depends on how you best receive messages from the Big Fella, but that’s a topic for another day!).

So go ahead and try, and fail some, and then fail some more. Go ahead, don’t be afraid. He’s there my friends, He’s always there, and if we open our eyes, and more importantly our hearts, He will soothe our wounds and point us to a better path. Fear not fellow travelers. Failure looses its sting when we know in our hearts that our best Friend is always by our side.

-The Minister