Failure

Fear and frustration flog her--a woman in front of me, flagellated by the "f-word"--failure. Failure. It hurts. It is a life-dominating fear for some. For some, they say they don’t care, but it is a way of self-protection. Or they change “groups” to meet with different standards—the teen who “fails” at being popular may align herself with the “goths,” trying to find a different group where she doesn’t “fail.” What do we do with the deep life failures? Or even the little failures that can nag or condemn? Or that permanent sense of failure some have?

May we see God as he really is. We talk about his love for us. But sometimes when we fail, we feel ashamed to come before God. We feel he is disappointed. We make God out to be after our own image, as if he would respond like we would. Moreover, we forget the sufficiency of Christ’s work and that we are completely accepted in him. Not even our sins can separate us from his love once we have confessed him solely as Lord. Completely. Accepted. What can mere mortal standards do to us?

May we see ourselves as God sees us. He does not glibly pat us on the head out of self-pity, brushing past our failures. Rather, the Lord puts them in perspective. He sees us as loved, as immortals, as his children for forever and ever. In light of eternity and in light of Christ’s love, our feelings of failure can fall away. Even as I write this, sometimes I know that “Jesus loves you” doesn't "feel" enough. But that is when I am loving something more--I love the opinions of others, my reputation, my feeling of success more than I love God and thus treasure the other things more than I treasure his acceptance. I pray you are able to be so delighted in God that he fills your vision and the other things, opinions, feelings melt away in his love.

God sees us realistically, as finite beings (Ps. 103:12). He does not demand we be superhuman. Rather, embracing our weakness, our creatureliness, we cling desperately to Christ who is our life, our wisdom, holiness, righteousness (Jn. 15:5; Col. 3:4; Gal. 2:20;  1 Cor. 1:30).

God sees us as covered by Christ.  Whether or not we “could have done better, should have done better,” it does not change our standing with Christ. He has covered all our failures—from the minute to the most awful. We can run to him, face our own feelings of failure or the opinions of others knowing we are completely accepted by the King of the Universe.

Failure. Faith can turn the “f-word” from a thing of fear to a thing of fullness and favor. We can revel more deeply in the eternal, covering, sufficient love of Christ. We can learn to depend on him more richly. Run! Instead of running from God fearing he is disappointed, run freely to him and he’ll wipe off our mud. Instead of running away from others, run to them confidently (even if one’s failure means restitution and confession) because we have the Higher Judge’s favor. Instead of running from one’s self, masking, blaming, see it washed away in Christ’s blood. Failure! What a gift—favor! Fullness!