Year 4-Day 7: Today, I am grateful for the secret opportunities inside every failure. Here at the start of a new year, everything seems clean and fresh...until the first struggle, bump in the road, trial or failure. What is it in human nature that makes us so quick to quit when we face a struggle?
I added this quote to my collection a long time ago: "I have not failed. I've just found 10000 ways that won't work." - Thomas A. Edison
Was Thomas Edison brilliant or simply persistent? He kept going when others gave up. I don't mean to diminish his intelligence, but I firmly believe nearly everyone has their own brand of "smart". They just have to discover it and not allow themselves to be branded dumb or failures.
There are secret opportunities in every failure. They build character and discipline, if they are used as life lessons and not "final chapters".
Hebrews 12:7- "It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Remember that "discipline" is not just about the punishment...but learning a lesson through the experience. By definition discipline is "the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience." or "a branch of knowledge, typically one studied in higher education". Discipline fails by definition if it does not teach something in the endeavor.
There are opportunities hidden in failure. There are lessons in the struggles. As we approach this New Year with goals, vision and ideas, let's not be easily discouraged. God never promised us the road would be easy...He promised that he would be with us and nothing would be impossible with Him.
Press on! This is one of my favorite sayings of recent years. When things get rough, tough and bumpy...press on.
Luke 1:37- "For nothing will be impossible with God.”
If failure feels overwhelming, write down what was learned in the experience. Perhaps the experience is more aptly named "tough lesson" than failure. There lies the opportunity.
I'm not looking to cushion "failure"...as I am not a fan of protecting "self-esteem". Prisons of full of people that test with high self esteem which means we need to rethink it's importance.
Accountability...that is what helps us learn through failure and struggles. "What can I learn from this?" is one of my favorite questions. "What could I have done differently to get a more desirable result?" "What variable was out of my control?" Yes, I was that kid that loved school.
I still love learning. My Mama Ina Mae says you must learn something new every day. She is right.
What will we learn today?
Today, I am grateful for the secret opportunities inside every failure.
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