grace

Failure Can Be a Good Thing

I’ve spent a lot of this month feeling guilty. That I’ve let people down. That I’ve disappointed others. That I’ve not been enough.

I’ve tried tried tried. And somehow failed. There have been explanations. But still. Failure.

No matter what I gave, what I did, it was not enough.

The burden of such … is crushing. But the more I dwell on my shortcomings, the longer I entertain negative thoughts, the more they stay in focus.

I have to pound this hope into my mind and heart and soul: That there can be forgiveness for mistakes. That I can choose not to wallow in self-pity. That I am not doomed to be a constant failure. But I can choose to learn from my screw-ups and determine to be better.

That when I make a mistake, when I fail, I can tell myself, “You made a mistake, next time you will do better.”

When you fail, be brave and learn from it. Pick yourself up, and be better.

That every day is new, a fresh start. And I shouldn’t drag my failure in each new day.

That grace is all about starting over.

Grace allows us to forget the past and move forward in the future.

That David said of God: “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” {Psalm 139:5, NIV}. What’s behind can be forgiven; what’s before can be better.

Forget about what’s behind and keep looking toward what’s ahead.

That we all have ups and downs but the key to happiness is to always try to move forward. I need to not look back or obsess over my mistakes. We all have them, and there is nothing I can do to change the past. But I can determine to let failure be the good thing that initiates change, growth, improvement.

Failure can be a good thing.

IF we learn from it.

And, IF, like the song says, we can “Let It Go.”

So, during this hard month of struggle, these are the rest of the messages to myself, the Happy Day Moment Facebook Page Echoes for October:

• Courage grows when we learn to trust God.
• Apologize for your mistakes. Apologize for any unintentional hurts. But don’t apologize for being you.
• Gratitude opens a window and lets the freshness in and the staleness out.
• Let us be “again” people. Love again. Rejoice again. Bloom again. Forgive again.
• Don’t allow anyone who has wronged you to have power over you. Forgive. And cover offenses with love.

• You may be in the middle of a really difficult chapter, but don’t give up on the plot, on your amazing story.
• When we look past our own pain, and help someone in theirs, we often see a different perspective, a view leads to gratitude.
• If others beat you down with criticisms, remember you are always valuable and loved in God’s eyes.
• It’s your heart’s attitude that determines how peaceful you will be during times of brokenness.
• Let there be time for love and understanding, even in the midst of deep disagreement or disappointment.

• If you’ve been stung by betrayal, bend your heart toward mercy. Forgiveness heals injury.
• Be an apparent agent of love, not a secret one. Through the words you speak, through the life you live.
• Stand on the promise that God’s grace is sufficient.
• If you’ve been thrown into a storm you never saw coming, let hope be your anchor.
• Small kindnesses go a long way in increasing happiness.

• People who express gratitude every day live happier lives.
• Nourish your soul. Take time to read.
• Everything derives from this: Love God and love each other — period.
• Most times it takes hardships to make us truly appreciate what we have.
• Choose to believe you are precious regardless of how others treat you.

• View others with eyes of grace, not eyes of judgment.
• Be abundant in your love, in your forgiveness, in your mercy.
• Remind yourself of the good stuff: that you showed up. That you asked for help. That you gave help. That you’re trying.
• Be a champion of the message: Live with gratitude. No matter what you’re facing.
• Spend intentional time being grateful and you will ground yourself in God’s love.

• Invest your time and energy on the positive, not the negative.
• Let love and forgiveness be your cloak against the harshness of rejection.
• Those I most admire are benevolent. They share. They love.
• Understand and embrace the idea that God has a plan for your life.

Can I just say, THANK YOU for reading my blog posts? For sometimes sharing them on Facebook, forwarding them to friends, tweeting about them on Twitter, and most of all, commenting on the blog itself. What a treasure your responses are to me!