Failure and Success

**fennywest** Wed 21 Dec 2011, 4:04 pm

Don't Be Afraid of Failure (1)
'A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' Proverbs 24:16
Until you overcome the fear of failure, you'll be immobilised at the prospect of taking a risk. The important thing to remember when you fail is not to quit. History shows that failure can actually become a bridge to success. In school, Napoleon was forty-second in a class of forty-three, yet he went on to build an army that conquered much of the world. George Washington lost two-thirds of his military battles, yet against overwhelming odds he won the Revolutionary War and changed American history. Albert Einstein was such a slow learner that it was suggested he switch studies from physics to some other topic, yet he's considered the father of the atomic age. When you recall these names you don't remember their failures but their contributions to the world. Only when you consider your failure to be final, are you finally a failure. Failure is not an event, only an opinion, and as long as it's not your opinion you can come back and succeed. 'A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again.' In his first inaugural address Franklin Roosevelt told the nation, 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.' Failure is not fatal; you can begin again. But the fear of failure could prove fatal to your goals by keeping you from trying again. After cataloguing every possible scenario that could come against us, such as tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, Paul writes: 'Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us' (Romans 8:37 NKJV). So the word for you today is - don't be afraid of failure.

Don't Be Afraid of Failure (2)

'A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' Proverbs 24:16

Star baseball players only hit the ball about three out of every ten times. How do they live with such a high failure rate? By focusing on the law of averages. They know that if they just keep swinging the bat, they'll get on base. In 1952 Roger Bannister ran in the Olympics and finished in fourth place, failing to win any kind of medal. But he refused to quit. Up until this time many experts considered it humanly impossible to run the mile in under four minutes. Yet that was Bannister's goal. And on May 6, 1954, he became the first man to do it. Now runners do it regularly. What's the point? If you refuse to quit when you fail, you'll ultimately succeed. You just have to be willing to get back up and keep moving forward. In 1832 Abraham Lincoln was defeated for the State Legislature. In 1833 he failed in business. In 1835 his sweetheart died. In 1836 he had a nervous breakdown. In 1838 he was defeated for Illinois House Speaker. In 1843 he was defeated for nomination to Congress. In 1854 he was defeated for the U.S. Senate. In 1856 he was defeated for nomination for Vice President. In 1858 he was defeated again in a U.S. Senate race. But today he is considered one of America's greatest presidents. A wise man concluded: 'It's a mistake to suppose that people succeed only through success; they often succeed through failures.' And you're not defeated until the past takes your focus off the future. So don't be afraid of failure

Don't Be Afraid of Failure (3)
A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' Proverbs 24:16

The Psalmist wrote: 'Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word' (Psalm 119:67 NKJV). By doing it the wrong way, he eventually learned to do it the right way. The truth is, when you fail in one area, it can drive you to explore other areas. Most of life's successes are based on the principle of trial and error. Often failure is not falling short of your goal, it's simply not making the effort. Failure can actually help you discover your area of success. For example, when you hate your job you will likely fail in it. Yet it's in losing that hated position that you may be pressed to pursue what you really like to do, and are called to do. Another benefit of failure is that it makes you less judgmental of others. When you've experienced failure you become more sympathetic. Instead of pointing an accusing finger, you see the need to extend a helping hand. Instead of saying foolish things like, 'I can't believe you did that,' you remember the pit God dug you out of and say with gratitude and humility, 'Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt.' You know how it hurts to fail, and you feel their pain because of what you've been through. This makes you a better friend, a better mentor and a better example of grace. Jesus told Peter: '...satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren' (Luke 22:31-32 NKJV).A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' Proverbs 24:16

Don't Be Afraid of Failure (4)

A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again...' Proverbs 24:16

Solomon writes: 'Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest' (Proverbs 14:4 NLT). If you insist on always having a nice neat stall, you'll have an empty stall. If you want a big harvest, you'll need a big ox with a big appetite who creates big messes. For example, if you decide to have children you'll have lots of joy, and lots of messes to clean up. Within minutes, children can take a house that looks like it belongs in Better Homes and Gardens and make it look like a trial run for the battle of Armageddon. So you've an option: live by yourself and enjoy a less complicated life, or accept the problems that come with having a family. Even in the dictionary, the words striving and struggle come before the word success. Dr. John Maxwell says, 'At some point you have to make a transition from believer of the dream, to buyer of the dream. No dream comes true without somebody paying for it. And part of the price you will have to pay is in learning from the mistakes you make. You can attend every success seminar, read every success manual and follow every success mentor, but the price must always be paid in messes and mistakes. There isn't a single person in the world who has achieved anything without paying a price for it. Some pay with their lives or their freedom. Others pay by giving up options or finances or relationships. But one way or another, everybody pays.'

Word for today
Bob Gas