Learn from Failure, Lean on Jesus

Losing stinks. I didn’t like to lose when I played sports and I didn’t like to lose when I coached Grayson and Riley. And I’ll admit it, I’m a sore loser. You work hard to do your best and sometimes it just isn’t good enough. Sometimes there is someone out there whose best is better than yours. And yes, that stinks, because we want to think we are the best.

It also stinks when you try to do your best, to be obedient to God and you stumble. You have a bad thought, say the wrong thing or do something you know you shouldn’t do. And then you realize, your best wasn’t good enough. You failed.

Failure is a good thing. I know, for someone who hates to lose that is a tough thing to say, but failure can help us to be better.

First, it keeps us humble. A good reminder that we aren’t perfect and that sometimes our best isn’t good enough. Thankfully we have Jesus, who was and is perfect. Through His perfection, when our best isn’t good enough, His is. John wrote in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Second, failure is a learning experience. Riley was my goalie in soccer. We won a lot of games because he kept the ball out of the net. But we lost some games too. Every time someone scored on him, we would talk about what went right and what went wrong. Sometimes there was nothing he could have done and sometimes he knew he made a mistake. When we are honest about our failures and examine what went wrong, we can learn how to prevent it from happening again.

Finally, failure is a realization that we are human, and all humans fail. It should help us to find compassion for others. I’ve said many times that Christians should be more open about their failures and share with others. Do you know how many people are just like you who fail and think they are all alone in their failure? Don’t be afraid to share your failures.

It’s ok not to like failure. We shouldn’t. Jesus said in His sermon on the mount, “Blessed are those who mourn” Matthew 5:4. When we mourn our failures we will correct them.  Losing stinks. Failure stinks. But, what we gain from it can be invaluable. 

See you Sunday!

Pastor Glen