“The line between failure and success is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it: so fine that we are often on the line and do not know it.”  –Elbert Hubbard, American writer

Failure is not always a bad or a negative experience.  Some people use failure as an excuse to stop striving for what they really want or need.  The Bible says in Proverbs 24:16,  “for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again…” According to Charles C. Manz, in his book, The Power of Failure: 27 Ways to Turn Life’s Setbacks into Success, “Sometimes failure is failure, at least in the short run.  If we can learn to accept failure as a necessary part of life and then take from it the valuable lessons it offers, we can transcend it.  Sometimes it’s best to not try to deny or redefine failure but to effectively cope and cooperate with it for future success.”

We may experience setbacks in life, but if we continue to rise again, the very next time may be the push we need to make it to our reward.  As Donnie McClurkin says in his popular gospel song, “We fall down, but we get up…”  The only way to accomplish what God is calling you to do is to have faith that God will be with you through it all.  “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)  As long as we are obedient, God will even supply the faith, “… think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” (Romans 12:3)

“Most people search high and wide for the key to success. If they only knew, the key to their dreams lies within.”  – George Washington Carver. American inventor

Failure is something we all face in our lives.  I’ve sure had my share.  I remember in the mid 1990s, I had worked myself all the way from a sales person to Marketing Director to COO of a thriving company – only to discover that I really did not like that position.  So I did something radical.  I decided to quit this very secure job and start my own advertising based business.  It was an original idea in an industry I was very familiar with – a business magazine mailed to local business owners around my community.  A great idea plus my hard work ethic – I was sure would work.  

Both my wife and I put everything we had, financially and emotionally into this idea.  It was very exciting to see how fast we acquired our first (and last) 30 clients!  Within a couple months we had a real magazine!  Clients were getting fantastic results.  There was only one small problem…though clients were excited about the return they were getting (one even said it was “the only advertising that ever worked”), some still had financial problems and couldn’t continue on a consistent basis.  Bottom line – we eventually ran out of money.  Then, on top of having to close down the magazine, we even had to hawk our 8 year old cars just to pay postage for the last mailing!!

I was devastated…my dream had died.  I remember how depressed I was.  I gave it my all and it was not enough.  I had no job, no money, and worst of all – a seriously damaged sense of confidence. 

Maybe, that’s were you are now.  

I had only questions…no answers.  I asked God the usual questions …why?  Why me?  How could you allow me to be so humiliated?  Why did you let this happen?

It took another 2 months for me to hit the real bottom when I had to raid our earthquake kid preparedness kit for quarters…we were that broke.  Until then, I was still holding on to a few shreds of pride.  I didn’t want to let them go, believing that somewhere within myself I could “make it happen.”  Once that last fingernail on the cliff ripped and I totally let go, something amazing happened.  Some of our friends from church prayed for me and I got to the point where I said…”Lord, you are my provider…You are my lord…in You I trust.  Whatever you want to do with me is fine.”  It wasn’t like I didn’t pray before…I did…a lot.  But there is a big difference when you finally completely let go and repent of all anger, unforgiveness, resentment, pride, etc.

A week later, totally out of the blue and not because of anything I did, I received a call from a stranger offering me the best job I’d ever had.  An old friend who I hadn’t talked with in ears referred me.  It was nothing short of a miracle…just the way it happened…it was eerie.

Looking back, I realized that I just had gotten ahead of God…like I do sometime.  Lesson – it’s wise to seek his counsel and wait on the Lord!

I hope my story has given you hope and some direction.  It’s never wrong to seek God, before and or after failure.  He is always ready to respond.  Frankly, I don’t know how people cope without God…I guess that’s why people do drugs, take pills or drink alcohol.  There is no doubt in my mind that God is the better choice…he brings true and lasting healing and recovery from failure to success.