strength to strength
"You cannot fail without risking. If you have never failed, it might be possible you have never risked."
E.R McManus
Every time I write words on a page, I risk being a failure. So I took a risk that no one would click that link to my blog and read what took me hours to write.
I roll the dice whenever I interject into a conversation and speak my mind. I face tremendous odds when I tell you about the opportunity to change your health forever.
There's a risk of rejection when I make clear what I think and believe concerning my faith in Jesus.
Everything I attempt has the possibility of failure attached to it.
Should that stop me from at least trying?
We all want the assurance that we won't fail. I'm guilty of needing that confidence when I venture into something new. Sometimes I need a reminder that I've done something similar before and succeeded.
Fail-safe: 1) It is guaranteed to work 2) A deactivation term that promises that when improperly accessed, it is guaranteed to fail.
So, there is no chance of failure when God is in something, right? Yet, simultaneously, we are reassured that we are guaranteed safety when God is with us.
Is this the truth? Does God guarantee that you will always win anything you try? For example, ask the team that prays before a game for God to give them the win. Then look and see how the opponent is doing the very same thing. Someone has to lose some time.
The word fail-safe is an oxymoron through and through!
I believe God is in the wins and the failures.
Fear of failure often sits right outside of my line of sight. Yet, I know it's there waiting to slide over and block my vision. The potential of failing is affecting how I move forward. I lose my confidence. I'm no longer sure of what I must do. Is God in this at all?
Have I considered that God is allowing me to experience failure at this moment so I can move in a different direction? A no is just as valuable as a yes.
Part of the struggle in this life is to find joy in the adventure I'm on. God's strength looks like joy. That joy gives us the courage to face whatever we must take on. Each yes or no we face is not fail-safe, and they are not risk-free.
How do I handle the balance of yes and no? How do I take on a risk knowing there is no fail-safe?
Knowing how God has gifted you with your talents and strengths is valuable. They've shown me where God has equipped me to handle everything I face, from the yes to the no and all the maybes in between.
Discovering my strengths and talents has allowed me to dive into what I do best. As a result, what I have to give is valuable to others. I don't have to wander around trying out all the various opportunities that, in the end, aren't a good fit for me—wasting time and money!
Wins and losses will still shape us because God allows us to fail so we can grow. Failures are not punishment. They are events that happen.
I fail all the time! But, I win some of the time. Knowing how my strengths play into that helps me make better decisions with the direction of the Lord.
Amid all this push and pull, I find I am the most powerful and vulnerable.
Is that where you want to be?
I'd love to discuss what risks you are taking these days! Are they the right ones? Are they in line with what God wants for you? Are you handling the process according to how God put your strengths and talents together?
Let's find out!!
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I believe in connecting with people through thoughts and ideas. I know we all have a story to share and in that story we find out who we really are! I want to hear your story.