Without a doubt, looking back on my walk with the Lord the moments preceding growth almost always center around my absolute failures. It is a travesty that in the past I hid my screw-ups instead of learning from them, ignoring one of God’s most effective means to mature. So many times upon the realization of my own inadequacy I want to sweep my breakdowns under the rug and present myself whole and complete to others. In pride I keep appearances in tact and futilely attempt to hold together the crumbling pieces around me. My arrogance responds with increased attempts and struggles instead of bringing me to the realization which God intends: dude, I NEED GOD! God allowing failure in our lives is often a slap in our faces, reminding us of our infinite neediness. And yet ultimately there is no glory in failure except that which finds God’s faithfulness, except that which is consistent to God’s infinite patience. As God faithfully and continuously endures with my own fumbling I find my tottering footsteps of faith. Failure continuously teaches me to abide in Christ, to seek life through God and live in dependence that He may work through me.
“If we are going to keep on growing, we must keep on risking failure throughout our lives… I am vividly reminded of Goethe’s saying that men will always be making mistakes as long as they are striving after something.” - Brennan Manning
The only failure I will truly fear, and perhaps the most devastating failure of all, would be my own complacency or apathy. May I no longer cower at my inadequacy, instead may I make it known, accept it, because this is what teaches me that I need Jesus. Man, I need Jesus. Peter’s denial of Christ was God’s springboard to teach. It was not before but after failure that Jesus sought Peter’s love (Jn. 21: 15-19).
1 comments:
"dude, I NEED GOD!" Oh so true! Thanks for sharing your thoughts bro. It's all too easy to just hide from and cover up our failure rather than facing it head on and calling it out for what it really is. It's not like God is ever surprised at how stupid and dense we can be (and frequently are). Problem is that this is pretty tough to actually risk letting people see you for what you really are. We can get so caught up in what people think that we forget the unending love of God for us His children and how He views us - in Christ! No better thing bro. Nothing better.
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