Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Never A Failure In Christ

How would you like to set the major league record for strikeouts with 1316? If that wasn’t bad enough what if you also set a record for five consecutive strikeouts in a World Series game? Many of you might say “what a failure!” It may surprise you to know this “failure” was the great homerun legend Babe Ruth.

Babe Ruth wasn’t afraid of failure. He swung for the fence every time and didn’t let those failures make him a failure. There is a difference in someone who says, “I have failed three times” and one who says, “I am a failure”. One never gives up.

Well what if I fail? That question is asked frequently especially when it comes to living out your faith. What if I fall short? What if I jump in over my head and drown? Fear of failure immobilizes many from attempting great things for God. We must remember that He who has called us is faithful and will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Is failure possible? It depends on your perspective. Henry Ford, Walt Disney, and Donald Trump all went bankrupt but never gave up. Even more important than success in your finances is success in your faith. Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

I’m not saying you will never fail. It is possible to have setbacks - that is why they call it risk. But here is the confidence you can have: If God is for you then who can be against you (Romans 8:31)! When we attempt great things for Him we will not be disappointed. When we risk it all for His Kingdom, we will not come up empty.

I don’t know about you but I would rather drown in deep water attempting great things for God than never get in the water. We have to get out of the shallow end of the pool and plunge over our heads in the deep end for God. Why? Who wants to drown in the kiddie pool? How embarrassing! How can we say we are doing great things for God if we are only wet up to our ankles? Why not dive in and abandon ourselves to Him? The greatest failures in life are not the ones attempted – it’s the ones never attempted at all.

Some say they don’t want to be embarrassed in failure. But what is more embarrassing? An adult with floaties on in the kiddie pool or one who cannonballs in the deep end? I’ll take the cannonball anytime. Maybe failure occasionally will embarrass you. But if you never attempt anything great for God how much do you think that embarrasses the One who created you to do great things for Him?

Success is just getting up one more time than you fall down. Don’t give up! In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Jesus tells us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” The power of God is the perfect solution to your weakness. The perfect person God wants to display His power and glory through is the one who knows their weakness and ability to fatally fail apart from God. Relying on God for success showcases God’s greatness and grace, which are available to all who trust in Him. Your weakness is God’s stage for success.

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