ShareGodLove.com » Failure is never final!

Failure is never final! October 22, 2007

Posted by Han in : Life's Challenge , trackback

So you have failed your examinations at school, college or university. Maybe, you have failed in your business or your professional performance, and lost your job. Or as a husband (or wife) you have been a failure; your marriage has sadly broken up. Perhaps, as a father (or mother) you have been a total failure.

Don’t be discouraged. This is not the end of your world. Failure is never final. Your failure can be your success! Don’t look around you or in you, but look up! There is One who is genuinely and deeply interested in you. His compassion, care and love will never cease. He is your creator God and His great love yearns for you and for your eternal well being.

Failure is never final. If it is, there are countless of people who didn’t make it in life. Think of people who failed but later became world renowned men and women:

Napoleon became 42nd in his military academy class! Albert Einstein, world renowned scientist, was unable to speak until he was seven years old. Isaac Newton did poorly at school. Winston Churchill failed his sixth grade at school, but later became war-time Prime Minister of Britain. Thomas Edison was told by his teachers that he was too stupid! Abraham Lincoln suffered a series of failures.

Many prospective writers were sorely disappointed and dejected by the ‘rejection’ slips they received from editors of magazines and publishers. But, in process of time, they proved to be outstanding, creative writers of best sellers.

Col. Sanders’ recipe was rejected no fewer than 1000 times! Yet his Kentucky Fried Chicken became “finger lickin’ good” to millions of people around the world.

Joy Ridderholf returned to the USA from the mission field devastated because she could not succeed as a missionary due to ill health. But later she founded the Gospel Recording Inc. through which millions of people are now able to hear the gospel in their own language.

William Carey was rejected missionary by the Baptist Board in England. “Sit down young man!” Carrey was bluntly told “if God wants to evangelize the heathen, He would not need your help!” Carey went to India as a missionary against great odds and did a phenomenal task: he translated the Bible into some 30 Indian languages and was hailed as the “Father of modern missions”.

From the world’s perspective, our Lord Jesus Christ’s mission on earth was a dismal failure. In the prime of his youth, he suffered an ignominious death of excruciating pain. This apparent failure turned out to be a glorious success. The twelve disciples whom the Lord left behind were also apparent failures. Out of the twelve, eleven were martyred. These men did not leave behind an organization, wealth, or monuments. But their ministry later became a grand success. They turned the world upside down, so to speak.

What is the secret of transforming your daunting failure into a daring success?

1) Get your priorities right

“Seek first his (God’s) kingdom and his righteousness”, our Lord declared, “and all these things shall be yours as well” (Matthew 8:33)

You and I were made “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27), and we cannot possibly live without God, “O God!” groaned St.Augustine, “You made me for Yourself, and my soul is restless until it finds rest in You.” There is an inner longing for God in every person. That is the reason why a monkey or a pig does not attend a temple, synagogue, mosque, or a church!

Men and women without God are list and empty. They have a God-shaped vacuum in their lives which can never be filled by anything else in the world – creature – comforts, education, wealth, name and fame.

All religions are man’s way to approach God as the word ‘marga’ suggests – “a way”. In the Bible alone we are told that God took the initiative to seek and to save mankind. The singular purpose of Jesus Christ coming into the world was to save us – sinners spiritually polluted and estranged from a holy God.

In order to save us from eternal separation and damnation, Jesus died on the cross in our stead and rose again on the third day. “I am the Good Shepherd” Jesus claimed, “the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11)

This is the reason why Jesus said unequivocally, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father (God) but through me” (John 14:6)

Turn away from your old rebellious ways and yield yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ. This opens the communication line to the Holy God, your maker. Then the Holy Spirit of God will govern, guard, and guide you every day and each step of the way. The conscious experience of this wonderful relationship with a living, loving God is the greatest success in life.

2) Don’t accept defeat

As someone has aptly said, “If you don’t make a mistake, you don’t make anything!”

Don’t accept failure as final. Remember that God, who is greater than all failures and defeats, has a Master Plan for your life. God can make your every failure as a stepping stone to success. Your problems can be turn into possibilities; your pain can be transformed into gain; your sighing into singing because with God all things are possible. Let go and let God take over every situation in which you may find yourself.

3) Don’t be influenced by the opinions of other people

The opinions of other people are not always correct; they are changing and changeable. So do not worry about what other people think of you or say about you. What God thinks of you is most important. In God’s viewpoint, you are more valuable than the entire world. (cf Mark 8:36). You are precious. You are loved. You are special (cf 1 John 3:1-2). You have potential to do great and mighty things for God.

My friend, Augustine Salins, failed his school final examination as a teenager. On the same night he overheard a conversation between his father and mother who thought that he was fast asleep. “What shall we do with this good-for-nothing son?” Augustine’s father asked his mother in anger and disappointment.

Augustine went far away from home to an open rice field and, with bitter tears, abandoned him to God. “O, Lord”, he cried with bitter tears, “my father said that I am good-for-nothing. Please Lord, take this good-for-nothing life of mine and use me in whatever way you please”. Later, Augustine sat for his examination and passed. He successfully pursued further studies and became a well-known Bible teacher and evangelist.

Sometimes called, “the weeping prophet of India”, he was mightily used by God in India, South East Asia, Europe, America, Australia, Fiji, and elsewhere for the blessing of thousands of people.

4) Have a biblical perspective of material things

The world of God is explicit in its warning about greed, dissatisfaction, and selfishness. “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he (God) has said ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrew 13:5).

The economy of the world is structured on selfish gain, discontentment and greed. As Christians, we should keep clear of this disastrous philosophy and follow our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the words of the apostle Paul, “We have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either” (1 Timothy 6:7). “Naked I came from my mother’s womb”, Job the Man of God confessed, “and naked shall I return there” (Job 1:21). Another scriptural injunction is, “set your mind on things above, not on things on earth” (Colossians 3:2).

A man can become so successful as to make billions of dollars and yet, if his soul is not saved, he will lose everything. Our Lord Jesus, asked these personal and pertinent questions. “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Mark 8:36-37)

In view of this, do make sure that your soul is saved for all eternity.

5) Press forward to new goals

Don’t indulge in self-pity over past failures but look ahead for new adventures. The apostle Paul determined to forget what was behind and pressed forward. “But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goals to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards to Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14)

This is the right attitude to develop. As we press toward to a new adventures, we are not to depend on our own strength but on the almighty power and unfailing resources of Christ. Paul has shown us a sterling example of this when he affirmed his faith in Christ. “I can do everything through him (Christ) who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

Millions upon millions of people who have put their implicit faith Christ have never been disappointed. And you will not be let down by the living and loving Lord Jesus, either.

Written by Dr. G D James

This is a very good article that I’ve received. I believe it will definitely change your life. Enjoy reading!