Are You A Failure?

Discovering A Better Life
P.O Box 1540, Albany Western Australia 6331
Phone/Fax: (08) 98 418 418
E-mail: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

Are You a Failure?
Friend, one of the hardest lessons for anybody to learn is that not every crisis moves to a happy ending. Life is seldom like those TV programs in which the hero gets into hot water every week only to triumph over adversity within 58 minutes. In real life, none of us are exempt from failure. Things catch up with us. We fail. And the pain is intense. I read recently of a very successful footballer who was unable to cope with life’s harsh realities following his retirement in 1999. Let me tell you what happened. First came a series of business failures and financial losses. Then came the really heavy blows that threw him for major losses. At the beginning of 2001, his twin sister was found to have lung cancer. In April, his best friend - who just happened to be his father - died of a heart attack. In the autumn of 2002 - his wife of 18 years - moved out and took their four children with her. Only two months after that, his sister died. Tragically, the quick-witted and nimble-footed athlete who was so used to winning was losing. Even his attempt to reconcile with his wife appears now to have failed. But I’m glad this man tried to save their 18-year marriage. And I’m truly sorry things haven’t worked out for them. Perhaps too much baggage had accumulated over the years. There appear to have been some wounds that couldn’t be healed. But there are still some things to be learned from their story. To fail at something Important doesn’t mean you are a failure. The heart of the Christian message is called gospel - a word that means “good news.” The good news is that God loves us in spite of anything we’ve messed up, lets us learn from our mistakes, and helps us move on with our lives. Friend, are you embarrassed over the loss of a job or the failure of your farm or company? Do you know the terrible pain of being rejected and betrayed by someone you trusted? Was your effort to save a marriage too little too late? Did you make the headlines by doing something criminal? Are you reeling from a moral lapse? If so, you are not a failure - unless you quit, just give up, and choose to wallow in pain and self-pity. You are not a failure - unless you are too proud to confess your mistake and accept forgiveness. You are not a failure - unless you are just too stubborn to take responsibility and to be accountable. How do you feel about the husband and wife I referred to earlier? Don’t you want the best for them? Don’t you want them to be stable and whole for the sake of their four children? Don’t you want them to find a way to move on with their lives? Well, it’s all right for you to feel the same way about a relative, co-worker, or friend from church. In fact, it would be good for you to communicate that to him or her. Friend, it’s even all right to feel that way if the person in question is you. Email me or write to me at P.O Box 1540, Albany W.A 6331. Telephone / Fax (08) 98 418 418 Have a great day! -- Ron.

Are You a Failure?

Friend, one of the hardest lessons for anybody to learn is that not every crisis moves to a happy ending. Life is seldom like those TV programs in which the hero gets into hot water every week only to triumph over adversity within 58 minutes. In real life, none of us are exempt from failure. Things catch up with us. We fail. And the pain is intense.

I read recently of a very successful footballer who was unable to cope with life’s harsh realities following his retirement in 1999. Let me tell you what happened. First came a series of business failures and financial losses. Then came the really heavy blows that threw him for major losses.

At the beginning of 2001, his twin sister was found to have lung cancer. In April, his best friend - who just happened to be his father - died of a heart attack. In the autumn of 2002 - his wife of 18 years - moved out and took their four children with her. Only two months after that, his sister died.

Tragically, the quick-witted and nimble-footed athlete who was so used to winning was losing. Even his attempt to reconcile with his wife appears now to have failed.

But I’m glad this man tried to save their 18-year marriage. And I’m truly sorry things haven’t worked out for them. Perhaps too much baggage had accumulated over the years. There appear to have been some wounds that couldn’t be healed. But there are still some things to be learned from their story.

To fail at something Important doesn’t mean you are a failure. The heart of the Christian message is called gospel - a word that means “good news.” The good news is that God loves us in spite of anything we’ve messed up, lets us learn from our mistakes, and helps us move on with our lives.

Friend, are you embarrassed over the loss of a job or the failure of your farm or company? Do you know the terrible pain of being rejected and betrayed by someone you trusted? Was your effort to save a marriage too little too late? Did you make the headlines by doing something criminal? Are you reeling from a moral lapse?

If so, you are not a failure - unless you quit, just give up, and choose to wallow in pain and self-pity. You are not a failure - unless you are too proud to confess your mistake and accept forgiveness. You are not a failure - unless you are just too stubborn to take responsibility and to be accountable.

How do you feel about the husband and wife I referred to earlier? Don’t you want the best for them? Don’t you want them to be stable and whole for the sake of their four children? Don’t you want them to find a way to move on with their lives?

Well, it’s all right for you to feel the same way about a relative, co-worker, or friend from church. In fact, it would be good for you to communicate that to him or her.

Friend, it’s even all right to feel that way if the person in question is you.

Email me
or write to me at
P.O Box 1540,
Albany W.A 6331.

Telephone / Fax (08) 98 418 418

Have a great day! -- Ron.