Failure Needs Not Be Final

This past Sunday I preached on the subject, What You Feel When You Fail (Luke 22:31-34, 54-62) and what we feel is characterized in the statement about Peter after he failed, “He went outside and wept bitterly” (v. 62). We all know how that feels for we have all failed (in some way). The good news is that we are in good company…For example—

·       George Washington surrendered at Fort Necessity during the French and Indian War, pretty much ending his military career, or so it was thought.
·       Abraham Lincoln was defeated in running for office seven times before he was elected President in 1860.
·       Winston Churchill flunked the 6th grade. Thomas Edison was told by his teacher that he was “too stupid to learn” and was encouraged to go into something where he might succeed because of his pleasant personality. Isaac Newton’s teacher said he was “unpromising.” Louis Pasteur’s teacher said he was the “least promising of her students.”
·       Beethoven’s music teacher said of him, “As a composer, he is hopeless.”
·       Michael Jordan failed to make his high school basketball team one year.
·       Babe Ruth is remembered for his 714 home runs, but he also struck out a record 1330 times.
·       Western novelist Zane Grey, who resided in Islamorada, Florida, was fired five times from newspapers.
·       John F. Kennedy, in his autobiography, wrote that he owed his success to the fact that the Japanese sunk his boat (in which he was captain) during World War II.
·       Walt Disney was fired from his first newspaper job because he “lacked imagination.” He also failed in two businesses, declared bankruptcy, had a nervous breakdown, and ended up 4 million in debt before he came up with and cashed in on the idea of Mortimer Mouse, which is wife Lillian insisted he change to Mickey Mouse. The rest is history…
 
All of this to say—Failure is a part of everyone’s life. But learn this: Failure is not the measure of a person. Even further— Failure need not be final!

Remember the lesson from Sunday:

Admit that you made a mistake.
Make it a learning experience.
Determine to move beyond it.

So no matter how you feel when you fail—move beyond it! Don’t give up! Your Best Days may be ahead of you! This is the hope we have in Christ!

Devotedly yours,
Pastor Ron