“Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
Failure is a universal experience. I fail my spouse or my children when I get tired and speak too sharply. I fail myself when I don’t live by my values, when I respond to ugly with ugly or fail to love my neighbor who is in need. I fail my God when I excuse myself from the discomfort of Christ’s call, or when I tell God “I can’t
when I haven’t even tried.
What would you try if you knew you couldn’t fail? What boundary would you cross? What wall would you attempt to break down? What star would you reach for if your fear of failure wasn’t inhibiting you? How would you define those successes? Ta ke some time to answer these questions. Make a long list.
Fear of failure constricts our lives and keeps us small. We learn and grow from the stumbles we make along the way. When we push past our fear of failure, oftentimes we realize the tragedy isn’t in failing, but in never trying.
Examine: Sit with your fear of failure. Breathe. Notice thoughts and feelings that arise.
Imagine: Imagine you are climbing a huge mountain-it’s so tall you can’t see the top. People are streaming down the mountain who did not make it to the top. They tell you not to try the climb. It’s impossible. You will certainly fail. But God is with you, strengthening you, helping you, holding your hand. Will you go with God?
Pray: Free me from fefar, O God, so I can live with faith. Amen
