Mistakes.
I tend to make a lot of them. Whatever it is…whether it’s losing my temper with my kids, being quick to speak before I hear the whole story, or making a clerical error because I was rushing to finish something at work…mistakes are a big part of my life.
It seems that lately when I make them I get more and more upset about how I could let it happen. The burden of the mistake can sometimes weigh so heavy on me that I feel like a total failure. I feel as if the enemy loudly whispers that I’m not good enough and that I should just quit.
I was having one of those days today as I was contemplating a mistake I had recently made.
As I was sulking and entertaining so many negative thoughts, I was reminded that when I am not making mistakes, it’s not because I’m so great, but because of God’s grace towards me. So on the flip side when I fail, I realize that it is this same grace that covers my mistakes.
I was also reminded that failure is life’s greatest teacher. I’ve heard it said that it is rarely in the moments of glory that we learn the most meaningful things. But when we take a hard look at our failures, we find there is so much wisdom to be gained.
Are you finding yourself in a place of failure in your life, your career, or in your relationships?
There is a time to grieve over what is lost. But then there is also a time to get up, wash your face, and move forward.
President Lyndon B Johnson so eloquently said, “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.”
Instead of letting past mistakes define us, let them be our teachers so that our future can have a different outcome than we had before.
Don’t listen to the voice of the enemy telling you to quit. He is a liar and he will not stop until you give up.
But instead listen to the voice of your Heavenly Father who cheers you on. His voice says “Get up my child. It’s okay. Shake the dust off and try again. I’m rooting for you. I put my purpose and destiny in you. I will be with you until you finish. Keep going. And whatever you do, just don’t quit.”
And for you friend, know that better days are ahead. As long as you have breath in your lungs, your story isn’t over. Learn from your failure. Own it. And face it head on. And the next time you face this mountain, the outcome will be different.
And as for me today, the voice of the enemy grew fainter as the voice of God grew stronger and stronger. And what seemed like a failure for me today has now become my teacher for tomorrow.
~ Vijoy
Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash
