What Do You Do With Yesterday's Failure?

Embrace failure. Never embrace the lie that you are a failure.  Failures happen.  They are a natural part of life when we are making efforts to do anything.  When we are passive and doing nothing, we don’t fail.  But if we try, if we attempt to change or grow, then we will naturally sometimes fail.

Do failures paralyze or slow you down?  Does your mind jump to the false conclusion that if you fail, you are a failure?  Mine has at times.  It’s one of the enemy’s favorite tricks and a common mental distortion. 

This past week I had failures and I had successes in different areas of my life.  Neither one defines who I am.  Who I am is already established- I am a daughter of the King of Kings, beloved by my Father God, cherished, valued, worthy of love and kindness and an honored one.  Isaiah 43:4 says “…you are precious to me.  You are honored and I love you.” That is who I am!  That is who you are! 

So what do we do when we fail to meet our goals or live up to our own high ideals?  Maybe a personal example from my week can help.
  
This past week one of my unsaved neighbors came to my house and brought me some tomatoes from her garden.  She was sick.  Looking back, I know God brought her to my door.  I wish I would have prayed for her, shared my testimony of healing with her, and taken notice of that opportunity to show God’s love to her and be a witness.  I didn’t.  I pray for her every day (she is on my Lost List), but I choked and failed to do what I wanted to do and what God gave me opportunity to do. 

It is important to acknowledge that we fail as well as succeed in this journey toward living fruitful and obedient lives.  Does that make me a hypocrite or a failure?  The enemy would love me to believe that!  No way!  I’m not a failure.  I’m a human being who sometimes fails and sometimes succeeds in my pursuit of a fruitful and obedient lifestyle as a Jesus follower.  I will not let failures keep me from trying again, or casting vision for others to be bold witnesses of His love.  Instead I will reject condemnation and lies and remember who I am once again.  

I’ll let today be a new day, let this week be a new week and I’ll celebrate and embrace failures as part of the process of growth.  Next time, by God’s grace, I’ll do better.  My Papa God is with me, empowering me, loving me, working through me, changing me, molding me.  As I abide in His love, I will bear much fruit.  Yesterday’s failure doesn’t determine today’s action.  What I believe about who I am does. I'm chosen by God to bear fruit (John 15:16). Today is a new day!