Earlier this year, we had a Langstaff Letter on ‘Missed Opportunities,’ which dealt with issues such as ‘sins of omission,’ and what happens when we fail to take advantage of an opportunity when we choose not to act.

These ‘failures,’ in turn, require us to learn how to handle failure. 

WHAT IS FAILURE?

Failure is ‘omission of occurrence or performance; lack of success; a falling short” (Merriam-Webster.com). It is the opposite of success. All of us have experienced failure many times in our lives. The first time we tried to walk, we probably fell over. The first time . . . . you fill in the blank . . . . you likely failed. Failure is a part of life. No person, except Jesus, can say, ‘I never failed!’

KINDS OF FAILURE

There are at least three kinds of failure: intentional, unintentional, and moral. In Leviticus 5, you will find reference to the first two kinds of failure. Leviticus 5 deals with sin against the Lord, but the principle whether it is intentional or unintentional still applies.

  • Intentional failure is where a person knows what he is doing and is fully responsible for his actions. He may be taking a risk or is aware of the risks involved, such as investing money in the stock market that ends in failure. His intentional actions to make money ended in failure.
  • Unintentional failure is when a person is not necessarily responsible for his actions, which results in failure. It is like when a football player drops a pass that he was supposed to catch. He did not intend to do that, but for some reason, he did.
  • Moral failure is a kind of failure that relates to both the previous two kinds mentioned. Moral failure is when a person does something that the person knows is wrong and that they shouldn’t do it. An example is when a man or woman commits adultery, particularly in the case of a Christian who believes in the Bible. Moral failure is a special case that we will not tackle in this Langstaff Letter.

CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE 

There are consequences to failure, whether it is intentional or unintentional. Many times, people are not aware of this when they are making a decision to do something. A person’s actions or lack of actions will often affect other people, not just the person making the initial decision. Therefore, it may require restitution, and if it affects other people, asking for forgiveness.

We do need to remember that ‘Failure is not Fatal!’ A person can rise from failure and move on, especially if they have learned from their experience and they have dealt with the consequences of failure.

HOW TO HANDLE FAILURE

The question is how do you handle failure.

How do you handle failure when it is intentional? 

  • Face the failure, honestly. Do not make excuses or blame other people.
  • As a result, acknowledge your part in it all. If it is your mistake, own it.
  • Many times, it will require repentance. This is often the key step to learning from your failures.
  • Claim God’s offer of forgiveness. You can’t forgive yourself. It is God who forgives. We may, however, need to ask forgiveness of others who have suffered as a result of our failures.
  • If possible, learn from the experience and start again. Remember, as we already stated, ‘Failure is not fatal.’ You can begin again.

How do you handle failure when it is unintentional? 

  • Face it honestly and accept that you failed, even if it was unintentional.
  • Learn from the experience so that you don’t repeat the failure.
  • Claim God’s promises. For example, claim Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good.
  • If it has affected others, seek their forgiveness.
  • Start again. Perhaps try something new as you seek the leading of the Lord.
  • Persevere in faith and press on.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE

Assuming that your failure is not a major issue, such as a moral failure, then:

Develop a positive attitude to failure. Just remember that no great success is ever achieved without failure along the way. Thomas Edison, who invented the light bulb’ stated, “I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that didn’t work” (thomasedison.org).

Don’t give up. “Giving up is the only sure way to fail” (goodreads.com). “Success is not final. Failure is not final. It is the courage to continue that counts.”

“Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing and being nothing” (goodreads.com).

FEAR OF FAILURE

I have noticed over the years that there are those who live under a fear of failure and are fearful of responding to the call of God on their lives.

While speaking at a Minister’s Conference, I asked the ministers the question, “Do you have a fear of failure?” Almost half of them raised their hand to acknowledge it was so.

God can deliver you from that fear. Gideon was such a person. He was fearful when he considered the enemies of Israel, but God went to work on him, and Gideon became a mighty leader (Judges 6)

The men in Saul’s army were not prepared to fight Goliath as they were in fear of the giant. It took a young man by the name of David, who, not being afraid of Goliath, was prepared to do battle, believing he would win, declaring, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you” (I Samuel 17:45ff)

Remember, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

FAILURE IN THE BIBLE

Bob Gass, in one of his devotionals, wrote, “The writer of Hebrews said, ‘I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets . . . . whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies’ (Hebrew 11:32, 34 NIV). Some of the biggest success stories in Scripture are about people who struggled with weaknesses and character flaws. They were mired in seeming failure and defeat, yet by God’s grace, they overcame the obstacles and odds stacked against them.” 

One of the stories in the Bible that deals with failure is Peter. Peter, the eventual leader of the church, had a significant failure when He denied the Lord, not once, not twice, but three times (John 18:15-18). Peter felt he was a failure, but later, on the shores of Galilee, Peter met Jesus, and He restored him. “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep” (John 21:15-18).

FINAL WORD

How reassuring this is to us that Jesus was able to restore Peter following his failure. If Jesus can do that for Peter, He can do this for us when we fail.

If, at the moment, you are facing failure and the consequences of failure, then turn to the Lord and ask Him to restore you. He did it for Peter; He can do it for you!

RESOURCES

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/failure

https://www.thomasedison.org/edison-quotes

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/300866-giving-up-is-the-only-sure-way-to-fail

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/79466-failure-should-be-our-teacher-not-our-undertaker-failure-is