Month: October 2017

I have a secret desire to bait someone into a conversation. The setup might go something like this. “How are you doing today”? I hope for a response of “Fine”, or “Doing great”. Then comes my follow up, “Why? Why are you doing great”? So many times the reason behind a person’s great day is because life is easy at the moment and that good things are happening. But what really makes a great day or a great life. Is it because they have avoided sickness or conflict, and that people are speaking well of them?

If life is good only when good things are happening to me, then is life bad when these things are not happening? God is getting me off the roller coaster of evaluating how my life is going based on the situations and events that are happening in my life. I see examples of Christians, both ancient and contemporary, that find peace, meaning, and fulfillment in their daily lives regardless of the ease of their situation.

In the scriptures Paul talks about the hardships of his life. He doesn’t give Christians an excuse to compromise but uses himself as an example of how to view life. “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him (Christ) who gives me strength”. Philippians 4:12-13. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. It would seem that both of these scriptures point us to a life of peace regardless of what is happening around us. We need a heavenly perspective of our human life. We need to see our life through the eyes of Jesus.

When we see our lives from God’s viewpoint, and not from the pressure or pain of our experiences, we can learn that He is at work in us in every situation we encounter. I have begun to learn that every experience can work to mature and refine me. I have learned more about whom I am. My faith in God is deepening. I am learning to love my enemies and to pray for those who persecute me. I am learning to give thanks when I suffer for being a Christian. I am discovering that suffering in my life produces perseverance and is shaping my character. There are other difficult commands in scripture that I hope God will develop in me in the years ahead. He seems committed to the challenge. If I am wise I will cooperate in the process.

I am learning to rejoice that God is working in my life even though it is at times difficult, unpleasant, or painful. Life is good when God is walking through it with you.

Failure is a word that makes me feel sick. When I fail other people are impacted, usually not in a good way. I see parts of my life that are still imperfect, and I am not the shining example of Christ that I desire to be. But, failure has been one of the most powerful tools that God has used to change and mature me. Even so, the pain associated with failure is still difficult to embrace.

I read a scrolling sign outside a bowling alley while returning home from a trip to my son’s school. The sign advertised a youth bumper bowling league. Bumpers are rails or inflated tubes that keep bowling balls from falling into the alley gutters. No matter how poor the bowler any thrown ball will almost always make it to the pins.

We used bumpers sometimes with our kids when they were young until they were more skilled at rolling a bowling ball. They were a good way to introduce them to the fun of the sport without the consequences of a poorly rolled ball. (We are officially done with bumpers. My youngest son, who is eight years old, bowled a 186 this summer on a bumper-less alley).

Is completely removing failure from our kids’ lives healthy? Is it healthy for parents? Is it healthy for me?  I don’t think so. We shelter our kids from the pain of failure; the struggle, embarrassment, disappointment and tears. But aren’t there important things to learn from failing? Rather than take failure out of our children’s’ lives, perhaps we need to change the way we view it. Maybe we need to come to terms with God desiring to work through our failures.

Many years ago I was working in a youth ministry. When I first started I set many good and helpful goals on how I would personally grow and minister to the people around me, how I would help the organization be healthy, and how I would invest in my family. After five years, while sitting in my office one day, I realized that I had failed at accomplishing most of these. I cried. As I sat at my desk, embarrassed and grieved at my realization, I said to my heavenly Father, “I am a failure”. He responded, “Yes you are. And I love you anyway”.

This was a pivotal moment of my faith journey. I learned many practical and spiritual insights through that experience. It helped lay a foundation of grace, forgiveness, and mercy for my spiritual walk, allowing me to lay aside my human effort. God used failure to transform me when I embraced the pain of my own failure and chose to lean on His truth instead.

For some additional information on a Christian perspective of failure follow this link: https://bible.org/seriespage/mark-17-wisdom-deal-failure