Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. – Henry Ford

How well do you bounce back from failures or mistakes?  I want to encourage you today, that setbacks and discouragements often pave the way on the journey to growth and learning. William A Ward reminds us, “Failure should challenge us to new heights of accomplishment, not pull us to new depths of despair. Failure is delay, but not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead-end street.”  For me personally, some of my greatest disappointments have pushed me down a better path. As I observe the men and women God used in the Bible, every single one of them faced discouragement or even failure in some way. Yet God allowed these circumstances to shape them into humble and powerful vessels for His purpose.

Possibly the greatest life lessons we will ever learn are discovered in the classroom of brokenness. For it is in this humble classroom that we recognize our complete and utter need for God. In our arrogance, we may think we have it all together, but in our brokenness we recognize our need for God, and His redemptive work in our lives. When we make a mistake, we can choose to live in the defeat, continually beating ourselves up for what we could have done. Or we can move forward growing and learning from our mess ups. My friend and fellow author, Victorya Rogers, often says, “Your greatest challenge can be your greatest impact.”

What about you? Are you allowing your challenges to be your enemy, or are you growing through them?  It’s a choice we make and a perspective we pick. The “Bounce Back” effect can lead to bigger and better opportunities in our lives. We can learn to thank God for our flaws and failures, for through them He expands our understanding and teaches us new and marvelous truths. Let’s Allow our mistakes to strengthen us, teach us and turn us into wiser more resilient people.

Practical Applications

• Admit when you have made a mistake and take responsibility for it.
• Grieve it and leave it. Don’t continue to replay your mistakes in your mind.
• Seek God’s direction first.
• Turn from sin and live a life of moral purity.
• Allow your set-backs to turn your focus back toward God’s goodness.
• Thank God for your mistakes and the opportunity to grow.
• Look for new opportunities or ways to do things differently.
• Write down the lessons you have learned.
• Use what you have learned to help others.

Personalize It

1. What would you consider to be the biggest blunder or failure you have experienced in your life so far?
2. What are the lessons you have learned or can learn as a result of this frustration? In what ways can you thank God for this situation?
3. Is there someone you can reach out to and encourage who has experienced a set back?

A portion of this blog is an excerpt from Karol’s book, Positive Leadership Principles for Women on sale now for $5.  Click Here for more info.