Failure
can be a double-edged sword. On the one
hand, failure can be very negative.
Afterall, failure frequently comes with dire consequences that we would prefer
to avoid. Even worse is the fear
of failure. Many people allow
their fear of failure to grow and grow, until it takes over their lives. An unchecked fear of failure can become
paralyzing. We can become so dominated
by this fear that we are afraid to step out and try something new. We become so afraid that we are going to fail
that we never take a chance; never make an investment; or never seek to
grow. We become imprisoned by our own
fears of failure.
On the other hand, failure can be
very positive. Sometimes we can learn
and grow from our failures. There is a
story about Thomas Edison, which illustrates this point. Edison and his associates were trying to
develop a better battery. After 9,000
attempts which all failed, one of his associates said, in frustration: “Isn’t it a shame that with the tremendous
amount of work … you haven’t been able to get any results?” Edison, with a smile on his face,
replied: “Results! Why, man, I have a
gotten a lot of results! I know several
thousand things that won’t work!”[i] We can learn, mature, and grow from our
failures. At the same time, the fear of
failure can also be positive, if it motivates us to try our hardest at whatever
we are doing.
As Christians, we believe that God
has given each of us a unique portfolio of special gifts and talents, which we
can use to make a real difference in the world and to establish and build God’s
Kingdom. We can make the world a better
place by using our special gifts and talents at home, at work or school, and in
our community. Gathered together as the
church, God calls us to this work of Kingdom building, collectively using our
gifts and talents, through service and witness.
Whether as individuals or collectively as the Church, God does not
intend for us to be paralyzed by fear.
Actually, doing nothing because we fear failure is evidence of an acute
lack of faith. God calls upon us—both as
individuals and as churches—to step out in faith, trusting that God will
provide. Will we sometimes fail? Of course, we will experience failures. But, failure can become important building
stones for success in the future. We can
learn and grow and mature from our failures.
This is just as true for churches as it is for individual persons.
Even when we fail, we have this promise from God that we are not
alone. God is with us, watching over us,
and caring for us. Ultimately, we are in
God’s hands. Jesus expressed this faith
very poignantly in his “Sermon on the Mount,” when he told the parable of the “birds
of the air.” Jesus said: “Look at the birds of the air; they neither
sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. Are you not of more value than
they?” (Matthew 6: 26).
Come, worship with us this weekend.
Our church is located at the corner of Main and Dawson Streets in
Meriden, Kansas. We have two worship
services each weekend:
Ø Our contemporary service starts at 6 pm on
Saturday evenings. This Saturday, our
contemporary service will be worshiping at Lake Perry State Park, at the “Lake View Shelter House #8. We will be helping launch our Summer Lake
Ministry, led by retired pastor Bob Sutton.
Pastor Bob will lead weekend services at Lake Perry State Park and the
adjacent camping area administered by the Corps of Engineers. The theme of this outdoor service will be “Making
Lemons into Lemonade.” See the church website, www.meridenumc.org, for more details
on the lake services.
Ø
Our
classic service starts at 10 am on Sunday mornings. This weekend, I will be exploring the role of
failure in reaching success.
Everyone is welcome and accepted at both services because God loves us all.
[i]
Reported by the Quote Investigator. See http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/07/31/edison-lot-results/,
downloaded 15 May 2014.
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