Do Not Be Afraid of Failing – Part One

“He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.” (2 Chronicles 26:5)

Let’s look at some Bible strategies for overcoming the fear of failure.

1) Make sure that your vision and your values line up. The rise and fall of King Uzziah are told in these words: ‘Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years…He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD…He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success…But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God’ (vv. 3-5, 16 NIV).

The lesson here is clear: success can be intoxicating. And intoxicated people don’t think too clearly and end up getting into all kinds of trouble. So be sure that your vision is in line with your core values. Stay in balance. Define success based on God’s Word rather than the ego-driven systems of the world. For example, receiving public recognition and praise for your accomplishments while your family life is a mess is not success. And sacrificing your integrity for profit and promotion is the worst deal you will ever make.

2) Learn from your failures and mistakes. Failure is not fatal, neither does it define who you are. It is the result of your actions but not the measure of your worthiness. Thomas Edison once said, ‘I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.’ Humbly view your mistakes as ‘tuition paid’ on your education, then grow wiser, and keep moving forward.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to see that failure is not truly failure unless I refuse to learn from it. Keep my heart focused on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.