You need not waste failure.
Don’t give up.
God is the God of a second chance!
I’m not encouraging failure, but it is a fact-of-life. When it happens, hopefully not on a large scale, we must live and learn though we grieve and it hurts. Sometimes the results of failure can be devastating. We may fail openly. Many times, the failure may be within our own hearts. We know we have missed the mark, but all the same, it is failure to be dealt with.
Only a fool wants to fail.
To live openly in sin will certainly lead to failure! On the other hand, we realize if we judge ourselves, we all have the potential of failing. This is really a message of victory and if you look around you will see examples of people who have been given victory. We must not blame God or others if we fail, but there is, thank God, life after failure! Certain things lead to failure and God must allow it for us to see who we really are.
DAVID’S failure was a MAN. Yes, he was a man after God’s own heart, the Bible says he was the apple of God’s eye, but sadly, before failure, he had no mercy or grace. (II Samuel 1:13-16) He was a dreaded man to offend until after his great sin with Bathsheba. He found he too was given a second chance. He learned God had forgiveness for him, so in-turn, he became gracious as-a-result of being given mercy. (II Samuel 16:5-11)
MOSES’ failure was his MIND, his early accomplishments. He supposed. In his first forty years, his thoughts were, “I CAN.” (Exodus 2: 11-14) He thought he was qualified. After failure, he lived in seclusion and dealt with the thoughts of “I CAN’T” (Exodus 4:1) for the next forty years. Thankfully, Moses came under the umbrella of the “I AM” (Exodus 4:1) and learned trust and obedience. Moses last forty years was lived in the miracle of the I AM.
ELIJAH’S failure was his MINISTRY. He served endlessly until he no longer had any more to give. He was physically and mentally burnt out. (I Kings 19:4)
PETER’S failure was his MOUTH. His outgoing, matter-of-a-fact personality, I’m right syndrome, being the one and only to walk to Jesus on the water, I’ll never do it speech that resulted in his denial of Jesus, and on and on. (Matthew 26:31-35; 69-75) All this caused him misery and failure. It was not until he took-a-look within and saw how vile self-righteousness really was, that he was able to find Jesus full of grace and mercy, so much so that the Holy Ghost endowed Peter with the power to deliver the great message of Christ on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:14-36)
MARK’S failure was his MATURITY. This was partly others fault. Paul, Barnabas, and his parents allowing his zeal of ministry to move them into thinking he was ready to serve in hardship and months away from the securities of home. He did come back, but obviously never gave up on the desire to be a missionary. Paul restored him and asked for him to come to him “…for he is profitable to me for the ministry.” ( II Timothy 4:11)
- DAVID’S LIFE AFTER MORAL FAILURE – HIS FORGIVENESSAsking for forgiveness is a humbling experience especially for the man who thinks he is king. You may rule or have authority over a few things, but remember, the Lord is ultimately the one in charge. Don’t test Him nor forget it!!!
- MOSES LIFE AFTER EDUCATIONAL FAILURE – HIS RESOURCEFULNESSWe must unlearn so much when we come to Jesus. His thoughts are not our thoughts: therefore, there must be an annihilation of our thinking as we have been trained by temporal wisdom. God allowed Moses to be trained for 40 years just to show him that he was unqualified for spiritual work.
- ELIJAH’S LIFE AFTER EMOTIONAL FAILURE – HE NEEDED RESTFULNESS
- PETER’S LIFE AFTER PERSONAL FAILURE – HIS CHRIST-CENTEREDNESSHe became aware of himself and the seaMany years ago, at the age 17, I went out in the Gulf of Mexico on a shrimp boat. The owner and operator of the boat was a fellow Christian and he asked if I wanted to work for three days and nights. While out in the sea a strong storm arose. I was very fearful. As the storm grew worse, I thankfully became aware that the captain of the vessel had no fear in his eyes at all. All through the night, I kept my eyes on his eyes and decided I wouldn’t be afraid until I saw fear in his eyes. Peter must see some things about himself, who was his greatest enemy and learn to keep his focus on Christ.
- JOHN MARK’S LIFE AFTER YOUTHFUL FAILURE – HIS EVENTUAL USEFULNESS