I saw a posting on Facebook today; 40 Things to Give up for Lent: The List by Phil Ressler. I have decided to take each thing from the list everyday and use it as a devotional time because they are all things that I am in need of giving up. I thought this would be another good tool to use toward my goal of becoming a healthier me in 2015.
1. Fear of Failure. You don't succeed without experiencing failure. Just make sure you fail forward.
I love that phrase "fail forward".
I know that I fear failing God, and I fear failing the people I love. I fear failing myself. I fear not being adequate enough to accomplish the tasks I believe God places before me. I fear that people will fail me. There is even a part of me that fears that God will fail me. That is the hardest fear to deal with; the one that causes me to doubt my faith.
Here is the thing (I know this in my head); Other than God failing me, because the Bible tells us that He never will, the rest of it is true. We are human and we are imperfect. We will fail. "Fail Forward"; to me this means that we keep putting our hope and trust in God's power, understanding, forgiveness and love. "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
For someone like me who struggles with doubts and trust issues, I think the best place to start is by putting my trust in the hope. Keep my eyes on Jesus. His trustworthiness will be evident. The evidence of his faithfulness will leave me with no reasons to fear and doubt his abilities. I will be left with no choice but to trust. Having been a Christian for over 10 years now you would think I would have this down by now. But I have issues to work through and scars that I can still feel. I have never really taken the time in the past to really process through the causes and effects of my depression. That is something that I am working hard on this year. I am taking steps that I have never taken before. I am learning to accept my weaknesses and imperfections. I am learning that I do not have the DNA to be God (as my therapist likes to say). He is the only all powerful, perfect being. I have the DNA to fail and that is ok, as long as I fail forward.
"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." Proverbs 24:16
God gives us the power to rise again every time we fall. Rise in His power, dust yourself off and move forward. It is ok.
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion." Psalm 73:26
God knows we are human and we are not perfect. The only way we can truly fail God is by turning away from him. He loves us, imperfections and all. Love him. Believe in him and give him your best - your heart-felt best. He accepts you because he loves you. He gives you the gift of grace because he loves you, not because of what, or how you do something for him. Give him your life and give him your best.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2: 8-9
"More than that, we rejoice sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy spirit who has been given to us". Romans 5: 3-5
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, them I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
That which does not kill us makes us stronger. -Friedrich Nietzsche.
Dear Lord,
I give to you today my fear of failure. Help me to put my trust in your faithfulness and power, and on days when I find that difficult to do in my human heart then help me to put my trust in the hope of your faithfulness and power so that I do not give in to the fear of failure causing me to give up on trying at all. Help me to accept that there will be times when I fail because I am human, and remind me that these times are merely learning experiences and opportunities to grow in my faith and character. Help me to rise in your power, dust myself off, and move forward. Help me to fail forward. With all my love and trust in Jesus' name Amen.
Gift List
53. God's all sufficient power and grace.
No comments:
Post a Comment