Overcoming the fear of failure
Failure is part of the human experience. To take risks, at times, implies failure. In fact, the only way to avoid failure is never to try, and that is no way to live at all.
We have all experienced failure and the fear of failure. However, if we allow this fear to control us, we may never become who God meant for us to be. Playing it safe causes our lives to become a barren wasteland that could have had so much potential.
Here are five things to remember when facing this fear.
Remember that everybody fails
Failure is no big deal, it is universal. It is a natural part of life. “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). We all fail. In fact, we learn most about life through failure.
Realize that failure is not final
Failure is neither fatal nor final. In fact, the fear of failure is often worse than the experience itself. Proverbs 24:16 says, “A righteous man falls seven times and rises again.” Even the righteous man falls and gets up seven times. He just rises again; it’s OK.
However, what if you’re stumbling because you’re rejecting God and being foolish? This is different, it is disobedience.
Romans 8:28 says, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” The message here is simple: If you err on the side of unrighteousness, repent right away. Ask the Lord for forgiveness. But if you err on the side of righteousness and you make a mistake, pick yourself up and keep right on going. Learn from your failure and move on. Don’t camp around the fires of guilt and failure.
When you learn through failure, you become a success through it. Falling down is part of the pathway to success, and when you stumble and fumble, God will use your time on the ground to build you up.
Sometimes the pathway to God’s greatest desire for your life will be riddled with failure. Don’t drop out; it’s a part of life. Don’t make failure such a big deal that you sabotage your own future.
Recognize the benefits of failure
Failure educates us. We may have made more mistakes than successes. However, we chalk it up as education. We try something, and if it doesn’t work, then we scrap it and try again. At least, we’re erring on the side of righteousness. God delights in a heart desirous to serve Him.
Failure also makes us less judgmental. When you fail, you become a lot more sympathetic, sensitive and kind to others. Failure will restrain your arrogance. It will cause you to be less judgmental. If there is no other reason for failing except that we learn to be a little more merciful to others when they fail, that is a great reason. We can learn a lot from failure.
Redefine failure
Let’s redefine failure. Failure is not that you didn’t arrive at your goal; failure is not even making an effort.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
God did not say to come in first. He is not looking for people who want to be famous. He is looking for the faithful.
The foolproof way to overcome and override failure is to make love the motivation for everything you’re pursuing. When you do what you do out of love, you never fail because love never fails.
Replace fear with faith in Christ
I have the strength to face every condition by the power that Christ gives me (Philippians 4:13). The answer to overcoming the fear of failure is not a program—it is a person! Jesus will provide us with the power.
When we experience fear, we must put our trust in God. We should set great goals and make sure our motivation is love. Then go for it! Failure is not when we stumble in trying to serve God, it is when there is no intention to serve God. When God sees hearts desiring to bring Him glory, He will turn everything around for good and those failures will become blessings.
Let’s set our hearts on God, and watch our fear of failure fumble and fall.
Photo source: istock
More on Failure
- How did Jesus deal with animosity? (by Chris Bolinger)
- Is pride good or bad? (by Chris Bolinger)
- 6 ways to keep pornography out of your life (by Charles Stone)
- Supporting brothers through the storm: helping divorced Christian men (by Chris Bolinger)
