“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.–Proverbs 24:16

 

Failure plagues many people. Whether it’s failure on the job, failure in business ventures, failure in parenting, or failure in financial endeavors; many people today fear failing in some aspect of their life. The world has painted a seemingly unattainable picture of success so that if we were to measure our lives against that picture, we would feel we had failed.

 

Many Christians attempt little because they too are paralyzed by the fear of failure. I wonder how many churches could have been planted, souls could have been won, and how many lives could have been changed for the glory of God if only Christians were not afraid of failing.

 

Failure is a natural part of life. Everyone has failed at something in their lifetime, yet failure is no reason to quit. Failing is not a sin, but not getting back up and pressing on is. Proverbs 24:16 shows us this principle: “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” God realizes you will fail, but He commands you to keep going, to rise up again and continue living for Him.

 

Take a moment right now to think about failure in your life. What is an area in your life in which you are holding back because you are afraid to fail? Is it witnessing, teaching a Sunday school class, developing a regular Bible-reading routine? Failure is the devil’s way of intimidating you so that you do not serve Christ.

 

Former President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything.” You will make mistakes. You will fail at times, but that’s when God wants to help you get up and get back to living for Him.

 

Missionary William Carey put it this way, “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.” God will bless you as you continue to attempt great things for Him, without fearing failure.  Remember that failure is not final but that not getting back up is. –Dr. Paul Chappell

––I am old, and grayheaded; and, behold–I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.— 1 Samuel 12:2

Old age is the test of life. It is the harvest of all the life’s sowing. In its evening shadows, the deeds of all the past years appear at their real value. All life’s memories gather about the old man’s last days, and make either sweetness or bitterness for him. It is a great thing to be able to stand up in old age, and face all one’s past without a blush, and challenge everyone to witness if anything wrong is known.

Nothing but well-lived years all along life’s way, can yield such a happy consciousness in old age. We must begin in early youth—to grow old; that is, to grow into the beauty and sweetness which we all want to have in our character, when we become old. If we would be able to face our own past without blushing, when we reach seventy years—we must not do anything during the seventy years that we shall be ashamed to face. If we would be able to challenge the scrutiny of the world, turning the light on every chapter of our life, every page and line—we must be careful that we leave nothing behind us as we go on, which anyone can bring up against us. It was because that from a child, Samuel had served God, and had been exemplary in his conduct—honest, faithful, and upright in all his dealings—that he could now so confidently appeal to his record.–J R Miller

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Thy statutes.–Psalm 119:71

Judging by the commercials on television, modern man doesn’t like pain. Whether it’s physical pain, the pain of a broken appliance, the pain of the Internal Revenue Service, the pain of recovering from an accident or natural disaster — regardless of the kind of pain, if there’s not a pill, there is a plan or program for relief.

But there may also be a purpose. The Bible suggests that adversity is a frequent visitor in our fallen world. Since God is sovereign, our first question is not how to be free of trouble but how to discover God’s purpose in it. The apostle Paul was like us. When he suffered, he prayed that God would take it away. Instead, God gave him grace to live with the adversity. Immediately, Paul recognized a positive outcome: When he was weak in himself, he was strong in Christ (2 Corinthians 12:10).

It’s fine to ask God to solve the adversities in life. But while pursuing resolution, ask God to show you if there is something for which you can thank Him. Something you wouldn’t have experienced without the pain.–David Jeremiah

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
C. S. Lewis

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil– Proverbs 3:7

Here is a lesson for young people, from a loving and godly parent: “do not think highly of yourself; do not trust your young and inexperienced instincts and emotions; do not trust your own wisdom.”

Conversely, fear the Lord and depart from evil. It is perhaps unsurprising and understandable that the writer would pair “fearing God” with “departing from evil.” Certainly if we fear the holy and good God then we will automatically be striving to avoid and overcome sin in our lives.

But it is revealing that the author contrasts the wisdom of youth with departing from evil. Rather than being wise in your own eyes, he says, depart from evil. It is as if he assumes there will be a tendency in the young heart to play too closely with sin. So he warns not to trust that deceitful drive behind your emotions and affections but, instead, fear God and avoid sinful situations.

Here is also a lesson for the parent, though. First, you should recognize the same weakness and propensity in your child to rub shoulders with sin and assume it will do no harm. You are to know better, and you are to guide them according to this knowledge.

Also, it is obvious that it is your job, as parents, to teach your children to 1) fear God, and 2) avoid sin. If you are negligent in either of these tasks, then you are clearly not following the biblical model. You cannot expect them to do either on their own.

Children, fear God and depart from evil; parents, teach your children the same.(From “A Good Thing”)

These are trying times–for everyone, but especially for those who truly care about others. It’s not just sin that troubles us, but our suffering also, and not just our suffering, but that of the ones we love. Not only must we struggle with our own suffering, we weep with those who weep in their suffering.Our heart breaks because their heart is breaking. We want to offer some consolation, but we have more counsel than comfort to  give. Don’t underestimate that, however. Wise counsel can do wonders.

We have no power to heal them and help them, but we can point them to the One who can. We can’t  always be with them, but we can point them to the One who can. We can’t carry their burdens, but we can tell them of the One who will. Our comfort is in the Lord and so is theirs– tell them of Him! Remind them that Christ cares and He can help. He doesn’t just long to be with them He is along with them–wherever they’re at. He can be along with us because He was alone on the cross. He was separated from the Father so that we don’t have to be. He was condemned that we might be forgiven. He died that we might live. He has proven His love, given evidence of His concern, demonstrated His power, and promised His presence. Trust Him. He won’t fail you!