The Fear of Failure

Fear of Failure

Well, if we have hit upon a universal fear, this has got to be it.  There are not many of us who say, “I just can’t wait to fail.”  The truth is, for most, success is how we measure ourselves.  Angie Smith in her chapter, “Midian’s Hand,” sure turns that widely held value on its head!!! 

After telling us about her father who is reading all kinds of books on painting and has all the supplies but won’t paint a stroke, because he is afraid it won’t be what he envisions it to be, Angie makes this highlighter worthy statement:

“To me, failure means it doesn’t turn out the way I wanted it to.  To God, it means I didn’t pick up the brush.”

 

Whoa!  Then she goes on to say this REALLY crazy thought…many times God uses our failures for a “greater cause.”  Our failures???

Years ago when my son Peter was a young, he decided he wanted to play basketball in the city leagues.  My husband and I, neither of us had ever played much basketball, and Peter was not the tallest kid out there, but we decided that it would be a good idea for Peter to play an organized sport. 

Let’s just say the season was less than stellar for Peter.  He didn’t make a basket until the very last game and that one was for the opposing team.  To tell you the truth, I wanted to pull him out half way through the season.  Not only was it difficult to watch your child fail, the parents were pretty insensitive and down right cruel at times.  I had really had enough.  My husband, however, would not allow Peter to quit. 

When the season FINALLY ended, I 
was relieved and never wanted to darken the doorstep of a basketball court again. I truly thought Peter would feel the same, but he had other ideas.  He actually wanted us to buy him a basketball.  So we did and a friend gave him a Larry Bird videotape (some of you youngsters are asking yourselves right now WHO is Larry Bird and WHAT is a video tape…but you will Google it and find out:).   

Peter spent a year wearing the tread off of numerous basketballs practicing the drills on that video. He bounced that basketball all over the mobile home and jumped EVERYWHERE until my nerves were on edge! By the time city leagues came around, a basketball was just another body part to Peter.  He could spin it not only on his finger for infinity, he could spin it, bounce it off his knee, his head or YOUR head and back to his finger not wavering once. 

Time for city league basketball came once again, but this time by the end of the season, Peter was the highest scoring player.  He went on to be the point guard for his high school team, winning awards and in his adult years, coached a high school team to a league championship and to the quarterfinals in California’s Southern Section play-offs. 

I wanted Peter to quit.  I had not a clue that in that season of failure, was a life lesson that would teach far more than had he been successful right off the bat.  My fear of failure could have cost Peter all the good in store for him.

 

-->Failure is not the opposite of success it is PART of success! 

It is a “win-win” for us because we serve THE Redeemer!  The Lord has good works for us to accomplish…kingdom work to be done!  We can’t allow our fear of failure to rob us of great things He has in store for our future!  Even if we hear Him wrong, or we try the first time and our best effort crumbles to dust in our hands, the Lord redeems even this! 

 
  

I went to a You Lead Conference recently and listened as one of our speakers encouraged us to NOT allow failure to make us give up.  She gave us story after story of how her own first attempts had mediocre and sometimes even disastrous results, but she learned and tried again.  Eventually, it led to a thriving and ever growing women’s ministry that reaches thousands!


 

How does the fear of failure impact your life?  What are you afraid to try because you think you are not “good enough” or that old two word “what if” enemy keeps putting an end to some good thing in your life you haven’t even begun?? 

My friend Melinda Byers is an extremely talented artists.  She kindly sent me pictures for this blog:  the empty canvas at the beginning...everything ready, but not a stroke taken.  And these that show the progression of what can happen when you DO pick up the brush!!! 

Pick up the brush, girls!!!!  And see what the Lord would paint on the canvas of your life!   

You are dearly loved and prayed for, girls!!

Cherri

Check out my sweet friend, Melinda Byers website.  You will LOVE her artwork!  Thank you, Melinda!!  You are the best!!! Click here:  Melinda Byers Artwork