People fear failure more than they fear death. Fear paralyzed people from making needed changes to improve their quality of life. It is fearing trying and failing more than not trying.
We need to get comfortable with failure.
Jesus doesn’t mind if we fail as much as we mind if we fail.
I know this because Jesus let his disciples fail at times. The most striking example of this is in Mark 9 where Jesus takes Peter, James and John up for the transfiguration and leaves the 9 at the bottom of the mountain. When the 4 return to the 9 they find the 9 were trying to drive out a demon but were unsuccessful. After Jesus casts out the demon he tells them how to do it next time in Mark 9:29 – “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
I wonder why Jesus didn’t tell them this before he left them there to fend for themselves.
Then it hit me – he wanted them to remember this moment. He wanted them to turn to him for help and learn from his instruction. It wasn’t just automatic. They didn’t have it all figured out.
There are lessons we learn best by failure, not success. If we are going to be disciples we will have to face failure: failed Bible study, failed with sin, failed at our calling, failed in how we treat people, and so much more.
We fail.
Jesus loves us and deals with us and helps us learn and move on.
Jesus went up the mountain knowing they would fail until he got back down. Instead of instructing them beforehand he let them fail. Then learn.
I am sure Jesus lets us fail at times as well.
What are some lessons you have learned through failure as a disciple?
One Response
Sooo many failures, but each one I find myself being comforted and reminded of the verse “I will never forsake you”. Such a powerful thought emphasized in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. This verse comes to me at the weakest points in my life.