What is Failure?

How many times in your life have you failed at something? Anything from missing an answer on a test to not figuring out a life issue? Failure means different things to different people. It can depend on the outlook of the person.

Failure is the focus of this week's quote...

Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is 
delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is 
something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being 
nothing. ~ Denis Waitley

I purposely gave a brief intro to the quote this time because it would be too easy to spoil it, otherwise.

What did you think of that quote? I liked it a lot. I think that when we fail, we should learn, as it is our teacher. I think failure should bring us upward, not take life out of us. Failure is "in the way" not "losing." It is there to make our journey a bit longer, not make us stop. If we do not say, do, or be anything, we are sure not see much failure.

However, if we can learn to see the positives that can come out of a situation, we will be amazed, I believe. However, if all we see as failure or the negative side of things, we are not going to be very amazed. We will be looking out for the worst and being consistently pessimistic!

Now it's your turn...what "failures" in life have you seen as stepping stones or turning points to something better?

Giving Up is Permanent

It is no fun not to succeed. I think that everyone likes to win. It may not always be at "any expense", but, to this day, I haven't found anyone who doesn't like to do well at something. Whether it is an assignment at school, fixing up their house, dressing themselves, thriving at their job, or working with a committee. We are taught to do well from the beginning...by obeying our parents/guardians. We get praised for a job well done and receive the opposite for bad choices we make.

When was the last time you felt defeated? It wasn't that long ago that I tried to accomplish something that I didn't go away from feeling "successful". I am my worst critic. This was something that I did put in my 100%, but the result didn't make it to that percentage. However, with anything, I look to the future and do not have hopes of giving up. That brings us to this week's quote...

Being defeated is only a temporary condition;
giving up is what makes it permanent. ~ Marilyn vos Savant

Most often I think of this quote relating to an insignificant matter - losing a game, bombing a presentation, failing a test, etc. However, what about other areas. What about a marriage relationship? Where you have difficulties with each other, do you give up or see that there is a future where things can be worked out? What about financial strain (one of the top reasons couples fight), do you give up on life or seek ways you can get help?

There are many other areas to discuss that are ongoing situations. Maybe it is work, in-laws, extended family, neighbors, or church. The situations that are only around for a bit are easy to not give up on, but those chronic, ongoing problems can weigh us down so much that we want to just quit.

I urge you, don't quit! I've been in difficult situations where I've wanted to give up, so I know what it means to stick with it. You are more valuable than giving up. Your marriage, job, church, or other situations are more valuable than to give up on them.

Continually learning the lesson...

Monday Mentiongings: Which 'Cross' Will You Choose? - Mark 8:34

The Cross is an important Christian icon. Of all the different events that Jesus experienced, there is probably no one, which has heard of Jesus, who doesn’t know of Jesus dying on the cross. Since the cross represents His death, pain, shame, and humility were also a part of that event. Jesus asks his followers to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. However, if you knew that pain, shame, and humility would come with “taking up your cross” would you still follow Him?

Yesterday, we talked about two types of crosses, one – crossing your fingers, two – the cross of Christ. You make the choice every day to choose one or the other. You can choose to give in to your self or you can deny self. Here are some applications to choose from to use from yesterday’s lesson…

1. Choices can be easy or difficult. When we make the choice to follow Jesus we are also making the choice to suffer through any discomforts that may come our way. For example, praying for our enemies, complimenting instead of complaining, patient instead of pouting, loving instead of leaving, etc. Some choices we make as we follow Christ may not be pleasant, the Hebrew writer reminds us that Jesus “scorned the shame of the cross” for the “joy” that was on the others side (Hebrews 12:2), we too have a much joyful “other side” to look forward to!
2. The Bible teaches that there is nothing that man can do by his own abilities, once he has sinned, to save himself. We cannot “work” our way to heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9), but it is only by the grace of God that we are allowed to go. God gives us the opportunity to obey what He commands to allow us to go to heaven, but even in those “actions” if they are not done with faith, they are in vain. As we make choices in life, do we choose the cross of human power – fingers crossed – or of God’s power (Christ’s cross)? If we try to do things on our own, fixing our job, our family, etc., and not giving it over to Him, we have missed the point. “With man this is impossible…” (Matthew 19:26a) reminds us that we can’t do anything on our own. The next time you are in a predicament, give it to God – He’s got the power to “fix” it, not us/man!
3. Just like in the movies, the good guy always wins. If you like to lose, then you should make the choice of the cross which is formed by fingers crossed. If you want victory, then you will make the choice to follow Him. You will be willing to take up your cross, daily, and follow him. The next time you are at a crossroads regarding which “cross” to follow, just think to yourself, “Is it the one of defeat or victory?” Maybe that will make the decision easier.

May God make it easy on you to make the right choice – the cross of Christ – by keeping selfish thoughts and temptations away from you!

Has God opened doors for you lately to share Jesus? If so, I would enjoy hearing about it…

Making the choice ~