January 13, 2011

Has your faith ever been tested?  Today I was faced by giants and failed miserably.   I am so grateful that even in my failures; I find God and we can both laugh at the stupid things I do.  I am so glad that my shepard watches over me and helps me when I fail. In my mind, failing is an opportunity to succeed with Christ. 

The world would say, "Failure is not an option."  If we never fail then who would we put our trust in? Guess who?  Yes, it would be in ourselves and that is a very dangerous road.  Although, I love to be right; I also want God to be around when I am wrong.  Growth happens when God stretches us and we realize that worldly failure isn't important!

Throughout the Bible, many people failed Christ.  Adam, David, and Peter failed God. There's not one important person in the Bible that did not fail God, except for his son, Jesus Christ. Those same people contributed to the Glory of our LORD.  Sometimes, we must fail to succeed. 

I can tell you from experience that I have learned more from my failures then any of my successes.  Failing taught me to be humble, to rely on Christ and to realize that my success comes only through Him.  I play an integral part but Christ has control of my journey.

I wonder if that's how David felt.  He was fighting a losing battle or so it seemed to him at the time.  Psalm 6 NIV, portrays a man who has failed and yet, David trusts that God will pull him out.  Praise the LORD!

Psalm 6:1-9 NIV:

    Oh Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
          or discipline me in your wrath.
    Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint;
         O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.
   My soul is in anguish.
        How long, O LORD, how long?
   Turn, O LORD, and deliver me;
        save me because of your unfailing love.
   No one remembers you when he is dead.
      Who praises you from the grave?
   I am worn out from groaning;
      all night long I flood my bed
                  with weeping
      and drench my couch with tears.
  My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
      they fail because of all my foes.
  Away from me, all you who do evil, 
      for the LORD has heard my weeping.
  The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
       the LORD accepts my prayer.

David is weeping and crying out to the LORD.  He knows that in his weakness and failure, God is the only thing that can change his circumstances.  His heart is crying out for mercy and believing that God will accept him once again.  No one is safe from failure but we are under the protection of our LORD and Savior.  If you haven't been in a situation where you feel like a failure, I guarantee you will.  So when that day comes, get on your knees and ask God to help you.  Cry out and ask him to take your failure and make it a success for His kingdom.

My prayer today:

God grant us the ability to see you in our failures. Help us to learn from them and to understand that You are a loving and merciful God.  I am so happy that you help me every day.  I am so glad that when I fail, You are near.  Continue to help us grow in our failures and successes.  Lead us always back to You.  Help us realize that sometimes failure means success and give us a heart to depend on you always.  Grant us Your mercy and make our faith stronger.  We thank you for loving us and for never leaving us.  Amen

Until tomorrow....