“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
ACCEPTING failure is never easy. This is especially true when one has wallowed in success many times. And by these conquests, one ‘s strength and power is normally measured by peers.
However, can strength and courage be truly measured by success alone?
I am reminded by a story of a person who had succeeded in everything he had gone into. Whether it would be in academics, athletics or in his social life, he would always be at the winning end of it. He was always seen as the “winner” and the “stronger one”.
But fate suddenly frowned upon him and he went on a slump — losing his strength, his intellect and eventually, his friends. But the most tragic loss that he ever incurred was his will to live.
This person did not want to move on with his life anymore.
He would have drained his existence dry when his best friend suddenly paid him a visit.
The friend sat by his side and said, ”Sometimes, things never turn out the way we want them to be. Indeed, our strength and power may be determined by the number of achievements that we have amassed. However, greater strength and power is needed to come back from failure. Through this, a man’s true worth is measured.”
With that, the man looked at his friend and rose.
Life never always deals a winning hand to a person and failure will always be part of existence.
To deny this part in one’s life would never complete the experience and growth of the person in us.
People sometimes have difficulty accepting setbacks because they show their weakness and vulnerability. But let us not forget that it is during these trying times that God manifests Himself, reminding us that we will always be His children, who will always need His help and guidance.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, sorry for the times when we assume we know everything. Success often blinds us with pride, thus, giving a false sense of security that often leads to even greater mistakes. Help us to be humble enough to accept our limitations and grant us the strength to rise from our failures. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.
