When Faced with Failure

Lovely ladies, there comes a time when you will know failure, when you are pressed on both sides and your walls come crashing down. You really don’t see how you could possibly move on. In these moments, you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders and no one but you can really understand what you’re going through. But my dearies, there is One who knows, cares and stands with you. He waits for you to run to Him. Not to wallow in self-pity or meditate on your failures and insecurities, but rather, to choose to trust in His promises.

These are times when you will find your greatest strength because you rely on the greatest source when you are out of everything to give.

I recently went through an ordeal where I failed an important test. I felt well prepared for this test and sacrificed a lot in order to excel at it. This was already a difficult season for me. On top of this, I received the grade for this test right before I another exam, which I was only halfway prepared for. I remember feeling numb and paralyzed. In that moment, all I could do was ask God, “What next?”

I didn't know what to do, feel or think. I literally felt that I was breathing on His strength. The disappointment was immense and the battle in my mind was great. But I chose to trust Him. All I could do was trust Him. There was no me, just all Him.

These times really test our faith and our ability to stand strong. We can be the greatest enemy to ourselves. We fight the greatest battles in our minds and hearts when faced with situations like these.

However, in this moment, I chose to be my best encourager. I chose to stand firm in my faith and hold onto God's promises rather than allowing myself to cower in fear and sink into self-doubt.

For we wrestle not against flesh or blood, but against principalities, power, against the rulers of the darkness of this age. -Ephesians 6:12

I went into the bathroom, looked at the mirror and chose to smile, even when a wave of tears gushed out of my eyes at the reflection staring back at me. I wasn’t crying out of self-pity, but because I saw immense beauty, strength, grace, faith and love staring back at me. I was allowed to look at myself through God’s eyes.

How much more beautiful life would be if we looked at these moments through His eyes? His Word says He gives us peace that surpasses all understanding (Phillipians 4:7). At that moment, I truly felt what is was to have a peace that is not jilted by the worries of this world. I even felt a bit crazy at smiling at such a time. But that is the the type of incomprehensible peace given by our Father.

I knew deep down in my heart this too shall pass and I would take the opportunity to live out God’s truth and promises. This life is not about me, but about Him and His glory.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:11-13

It is God that acts in us when we put our faith and trust in Him and act contrary to our human nature. Our human nature fails in a vicious cycle of fear, doubt, guilt and shame.

But the Holy Spirit within us provides us with the strength, faith and courage (even a beautiful smile when it is hard to give) that simply cannot come through human nature, but only through the Greater One.

When the world looks and sees that despite being in the midst of the storm, we can still stand and continue living with love and perfect peace, then we testify of a greater promise and hope that keeps us grounded.

May my story show that God is always able to fulfill His promises even when the situation says otherwise, because I know He will. Glory be to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20-21).  He is not constrained by our human incapability, rather His strength is exalted in our very obvious weaknesses and shortcomings.

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -2 Corinthians 12:9

My dearies, my hope and challenge is that when we are tested with times like this, we will grab hold of it as an opportunity to embrace the situation with the supernatural grace and strength that God has gifted to us. I pray we run to God and pour our hearts out to Him and choose to love and trust Him. Despite our circumstances, we will literally rejoice because we know of the greatest truth and have access to the most powerful love the world will ever know. When we fail, we are given the opportunity to know Him deeper, trust Him more, and see the kind of faith and strength that graces our life that the world can never understand but will seek to know of.