Fear of Failure

Instead of avoiding challenges because of the fear of failure, God wants to teach us to view failure as an opportunity to grow. God is giving us eyes to see with faith, not fear.

We need to choose to listen to the promises of God over fear or intimidation. Come to God exactly as you are and give Him your weariness and discouragement in exchange for hope and strength. It's time to rise up and step out in bold faith.

We need to exchange fear for faith, discouragement for hope, and heaviness for joy. God is with us.

We need to be unafraid of Failure. Failure is just a stepping-stone to rise up further.

"He helps those who are in trouble; He lifts those who have fallen." (Psalm 145:14)

In our perfected culture that's obsessed with success and status and fame in social media, the idea of failure can seem like the worst possible thing. Failure can feel like the ultimate defeat. And, if we're not careful, the fear of failure can keep us living in a caged state and prevents us from ever taking risks. Fear binds us. It causes us to stagnate in our walk with the Lord.

Even though none of us wants to fail, when we set out to do something, failure isn't the worst thing that can happen to us. With failure comes learning opportunities, such as fall of pride, humbleness and growth which comes down to Kingdom values. God does not see failure the way we do. His ways are higher than our ways.

The Bible is full of people who "failed." Some of them we have even been labelled as "failures," and yet God used them. King David had an affair with a married woman and then had her husband killed to cover up his tracks. Moses killed a man and then fled out of guilt, and so fled for his life. Abraham was afraid of the king, so he lied about his wife. Sarah laughed at God when He promised her a son. They people that failed, but failure did not define their stories. They succeeded in what was to be their outcome of God’s plan for their life even though they failed in certain aspects of life.

Moses, after living for years in the wilderness, which he brought on himself. Our actions have consequences. He tried to avoid God's call on his life. He felt inadequate and was embarrassed by his speaking abilities. But that did not stop God’s plan. He would use Moses' and his brother Aaron to speak for Him. Moses' fear was did not stop God’s plan.

The fear of having failed can cause us to pro-long in our action. Moses fled to the wilderness after killing a man. He went from being the adopted son of Pharaoh to being a man on the run for his life. This was quite failure! And after forty years in the wilderness, he no longer saw himself as a powerful son of Pharaoh, but one who had been a failure. However, God did not see him as failure but of one that was now humbled enough to be used by God.

So often we see ourselves as failed based on our limitations or past mistakes, but God doesn't see us this way. The fact that He has chosen us is exactly what makes us fit and able for what He's calling us to do. Sometimes the fear of failure is rooted in what we believe others will think of us, or in what God will think of us. We need to get out of that belief that if I have failed I can no longer do what God has called me to do. Grace from God reminds us that He loves us as we are, with all our failed attempts. There is nothing you can do (or not do) that can separate you from His love, and there is no way that you can earn more love. 

Spending time in God's presence and giving Him your Praise and Worship is what He longs for from us.

Prayer: Father God, in the Name of Jesus Christ I come before you and repent of using my failure as a means to not do what You have called me to do. Holy Spirit I surrender my insecurities to you in all humbleness and ask that You send me into my calling with the fierceness of one called by God the Lion of Judah my protector and guide. I will soar like an eagle and pursue the call on my life with the Love and worship that you have decreed to me. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

 Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month's Blog contribution

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