A Benefit of Failure

Failure is a part of life. No one is going to have a life (from birth to death) without some areas of failure. Also, there will be repeated failures. Not all failures are going to present "giving up." However, they may strain continuing on and facilitate the idea of giving up.

It can be frustrating as a parent when you know your child is capable of achieving something and they are not "seeing it yet." They are failing and want to give up. You see the bigger picture, know their abilities, and try to cause them to make it to the next mountain peak, rather than be sullen in the valley.

One of the few benefits of failing is to learn from it and have a new "tool" to be able to help you through life. That brings us to this week's quote...

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. ~ Samuel Beckett

As I mentioned, it can be difficult for a parent to be able to cause a child to go forth with something that they know the child can accomplish. With that said, don't you think that God, as our heavenly Father, may look at us sometimes and think "You can do this" and we are saying "I just want to quit."

I think we are like that more often than we think. Our challenge is to try to look past the obstacle and see the opportunities. So even if we do fail, we fail better!

Now it's your turn...what have you had success in regarding doing a "do over" and learning so even if you fail, you fail better?

Go Ahead and Jump

I still hear the words being sung from Van Halen’s “Jump” when I read through those words.  However, it pertains to the Devil asking Jesus to test His Father by jumping off of a very high point with the plan that Jesus would have been saved and not injured.

Sometimes the phrase is used “the Devil made me do it.”  Imagine how well that excuse would have gone over if Jesus would have went ahead and jumped.  Sounds pretty lame coming from the mouth of our Savior, doesn’t it?  He had just as much ability as the Christian does today…the Spirit.

Sunday, we reflected on the second of Jesus’ temptations in Matthew 4.  This one being about putting God to the test.  Here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

1. Misjudging the Height ~ Sometimes when we are looking to do something we may not fully understand what it will actually entail.  It may be tempting to us to jump, but we may need to evaluate in case we’re expecting God to just take care of us “just because” He’s God.
2. Looks Can Be Deceiving ~ The heat on the distant roadway gives that “water” look to it.  This can be similar to how life can mislead us.  People come in, jobs come available, or deals are offered, all sounding good at first, but it may actually not be good.  The benefit of the doubt part of the argument is that it may not all be totally evil or premeditated.  Someone may come into your life that is completely good, but in the end it may corrupt you just through the chemistry of your relationship.  The job may be offered that does pay, but you didn’t know gas prices were going to jump so high that the pay doesn’t really cover your expenses.

We think that life is going to be all good.  We think God will take care of us regardless of the situation we put ourselves in to.  If those are your thoughts, you need to rethink life.  Both of those thoughts are misleading.  Life can be good and God will take care of us.  However, there are areas in which we cannot expect God to take care of us when we put ourselves in reckless situations.

Do not test Him!

Do Your Best - Don't Worry About the Rest

My parents always told me to "do my best". They didn't expect perfection, but just that I try my best. As I have chosen a field which involves constant expectations, I still keep in mind what my parents said to me many years ago. This week's quote inspired me to do my best and not worry about the rest...

I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. ~ Abraham Lincoln

There was another phrase my parent's said a lot, "Don't worry about others, worry about yourself". Pairing that with the first phrase creates a concept that when you are trying to do all you can, what other people think is meaningless.

We must be confident enough in our own decisions that we are not overly concerned with what other people think. I know I am not perfect and I make mistakes, but I am confident of the goal that I aimed to achieve. As a minister, there is never a time that I do something that I do not have a purpose and a goal in mind.

As you go through life, may you "do your best" and be able to look back and not worry about anyone who may say something against you.

Doing my best...

E-mail Encouragement: Try It, You May Like It

We tend to be more reserved than adventurous. Sometimes it may be because we have been “taught” that the things we want to do aren’t going to work. Other times we may simply doubt our own abilities. Whereas, still other times we are not in a place to follow through or there may not be the resources available to make it seem like it can happen. When this quote came into my “inbox” this week, I was so thankful because I knew it was what I was going to use for this week’s quote…

Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires...courage. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let’s focus on critics, rather than resources. Just Tuesday, my wife and I watched a movie called “August Rush”. The movie deals with a boy who was raised in an orphanage and has a keen ear for sound. His mother was a cellist; father a guitar player and singer. He has music in his genes. The kids at the orphanage tease him because he tells them that he is going to find his parents and that “the music will lead him.” He is labeled a “freak”. Without giving away too much of the movie, he makes his way, despite being encountered by many critics and obstacles, to find his mom and dad. There were many points which he could have quit – after all he’s an eleven year old. Instead of quitting, the young man continues on – mapping out his course – in courage to make his way toward his destination/goal.

What are you seeing in your future? Where would you like to be/go? What does 2008 bring to you? Do you have plans to do something (short or long term) and have critics putting the idea down? Or is the Enemy himself telling you it won’t work? Someone out there will always have a difference of opinion to say “you’re wrong”, but don’t be tempted to believe that. Map out what steps it takes to get to your goal (don’t forget to start with prayer, bathe it in prayer, and end with prayer!) and GO FOR IT! Even if there are many stops between point A and B, enjoy the journey of knowing you are going toward your goal – despite the critics!

Ready for Christmas? Only a few days left!!!

Have a great rest of your week!

Merry Christmas!