"I am a failure"

We are all human. We all fall short. Have you ever had one of those “I am a failure” times of your life? I know that I have. Guess what? We all have.

I feel like we don’t like to talk about failures. Our pride makes it so that we don’t like to admit when we failed. Failure can kind of be taboo, we don’t want to confront someone when they are acting out or behaving ill. Failure is normal. Failure is going to happen. Your failures do not define you. I think that the way you respond and handle your failures is what can define you.

Have you looked back on a situation and thought “well I definitely could have handled that better”? We can fail in all areas of our lives. We can feel like we had a parenting fail, we can feel like we failed our parents, we can feel like we failed God, we can feel like we failed our friends or family, and we can feel like we even failed ourselves. What about failing a test? Failures are going to happen! All of the above is going to happen. Maybe not all of them will happen for all of us, but each of us will experience some of them. So what do we do when we fail?

1.     1.  Confess your failure.

My parents have come to me and told me that they are sorry for something. They have come to me, their daughter, and admitted a time that they failed. They have told me when they failed me and other times that they have failed. Let me just tell you that I have not looked up to my parents with more pride and joy than when my parents humble themselves before me and ask for forgiveness and admit defeat. Also, I feel so much better even if I just confide in one person. Don’t stop there though. Make sure to confess to God. He already knows, but telling him about it will make you feel so much better.

2.     2.  Ask for forgiveness.

If your failure has hurt someone else, you definitely should go to that person and ask for their forgiveness. Ask the Lord for forgiveness. There is no place too deep or too far for the Lord to reach you. He is always there, sometimes your just have to put yourself out there to reach Him. Forgiveness is there and available for you if you genuinely want it and seek it out.

3.      3. Forgive yourself.

I was on the phone with my little sister last night and she made a comment that made me stop. She said “We are our worst critics”. First of all, how did my little sister get so smart? But she is right. Sometimes the hardest part of failing is to forgive yourself. Forgiving ourselves are not necessarily easy, extending grace to ourselves, and loving ourselves is often times harder than we think.

And finally…..

4.      4. Reliance.

Rely on God and rely on the supporters in your life. Even though it is hard to admit our failures, there is so much strength and encouragement when you have supportive and loving people in your life. Having that support system is crucial to overcoming hardships and even our own ego. I have an incredible support system in my friends and family and definitely in my Lord and Savior. Trust me, relying on others is sometimes the hardest thing to do; but it is worth it! Oh so worth it!

Your failures do not define you, and that is a lesson that I am constantly having to learn. I can really beat myself up over a mistake or something that happens in my life; but thankfully those things do not define me. The Lord is constantly loving and present in my life. He extends grace and mercy when I definitely don’t deserve it. He has blessed me with amazing people in my life to show me more love and support than I can ever imagine. Keep your chin up, it’s all going to be okay.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5: 6-7)