The Alpha of Dealing with Failure

UV 3023/10000 The Alpha of Dealing with Failure
And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31 v 8

We are to be taught more how to deal with failure than how to succeed for more frequently we fail or sometimes other people fail us in our expectations. This uni-verse gives basis to our faith that the Lord alone will never fail us or forsake us or disappoint us. He wants us to be joyful and not disappointed. He loves to fulfil the desires of our hearts provided we are walking in faith and obedience. He never lets go of us. He is with us wherever we are, whatever situation we are facing. He precedes us. He follows us. He surrounds us with His care and protection. He supplies the inner strength and confidence that we lack. His word is a sufficient antidote for our failures and disappointments. He comforts us with an apt word when we are crestfallen. When we are caught in a crisis, as we look to Him for help, He rushes to our side and encourages us.

Often we fail the Lord in the decisions we take or in our conduct or speech. Even then He does not make His disapproval or reproach evident. He silently watches us and gives us space to repent and make the necessary changes in our lives. Every time we fall, the Lord helps us rise again, dust ourselves and begin again. He is called the God of second chances not without reason. He helps us deal with our moral failures as well as our real time professional failures and overcome our sense of regret. He removes our sighs and replaces it with rejoicing in His presence.

The Lord knows that we learn much more from our moments of failure than in our successes. He teaches us His eternal wisdom even as the pain of failure has not faded. We realize that neither success nor failure is permanent or final. We should therefore neither be carried away or be puffed up by success nor be discouraged by defeat or failure. Our vicissitudes or ups and downs of life do not affect our faith but strengthens it. Our failures do not make us bitter with the Lord or with life but help us understand His love and grace better. Sometimes, the Lord allows failures in the areas of our pride or our over confidence in the flesh or our personal abilities in order to humble us and make us teachable. Our confidence should be on the Lord and not in our money or possessions or connections or talents. If we repose disproportionate confidence in any of these, a failure would demolish it and cause us to refocus and trust in the Lord with all our hearts.