“It seems failure is no match for the person who believes in the future.”

A thought by Erwin Raphael McManus, (2006-11-14) from his book, Soul Cravings: An Exploration of the Human Spirit (p. 76). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

Does that make sense to you? It does to me.

I am reminded in myself some times of what I have failed to accomplish or where I blew it. The truth is there is pain there. I also know that if I stay there my potential to live life at its fullness is over.

I was reading today the last few chapters of Matthew in the New Testament of the Bible of Jesus death on a cross. Can you imagine how those who had followed Him were feeling? I mean everything they believed in was hanging on that Cross as a failure. What fools were we to believe that He was more than a man. But that was Friday and so many of us live in the Friday’s of our lives. We are fired, our marriage falls apart, we gave in again to that temptation, we followed the wrong person, we failed. It is horrible to live in the Friday existence of failure.

But Sunday was just two days away and their life was just beginning. Understand that in the life of adventure there are risks. And in every risk there is danger. But there is also danger in living in the despair of failure. Jesus didn’t fail. Friday had the picture of failure but it was a part of His plan of salvation. And that is true of each failure. There is something to be learned from it, there is a challenge to not do it again and there is the success of surviving through it. Failure is no match for faith in your future.

I start each day with the belief that God is there, that God is good and that He has a plan for me in that day. I live each day with the excitement of living that day with God. Life will not defeat me if I keep my eyes on Him, His plan, His power and His goodness. My future even at 65+ is bright and exciting. He takes failures and makes adventures out of them.

So where is your focus?

Comments

“We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives.”

A thought by Jon Tyson from his book, The Burden Is Light: Liberating Your Life from the Tyranny of Performance and Success (p. 118). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But is that all that is important? Jon says, “We want to realize an immediate return from whatever we invest in. I am prone to this way of thinking in so many areas of my life. ‘I paid a lot for that meal, yet the portions were not that big.’ ‘I invested two hours in that movie, and it was just okay.’ ‘I went to church, but the sermon wasn’t that profound.’ We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives. But beauty doesn’t fit within that framework. When Mary anointed Jesus with oil, there was an immediate outcry against her extravagant generosity. ‘It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ (Mark 14:5) One gospel depicts the disciples crying, ‘Why this waste?...

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book, Winning the War on Worry (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...

“Hurry and love are incompatible.”

A thought by John Mark Comer from his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (p. 23). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Wow, pretty strong thought isn’t it? John says, “All my worst moments as a father, a husband, and a pastor, even as a human being, are when I’m in a hurry—late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day. I ooze anger, tension, a critical nagging—the antitheses of love. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re trying to get your type B wife and three young, easily distracted children out of the house and you’re running late (a subject on which I have a wealth of experience), just pay attention to how you relate to them. Does it look and feel like love? Or is it far more in the vein of agitation, anger, a biting comment, a rough glare? Hurry and love are oil and water: they simply do not mix.” He goes on, “Hence, in the apostle P...

Just Continue That Thought...

Search This Blog