Failure Isn’t Optional

I know I’ll fail.

Don’t know when, where, or in which direction, but at some point I’ll mess it up. That’s a given.

No one likes to fail. I’d like to be the guy who always makes the right choice, always sees the big picture, always looks ten steps ahead. Sadly, I’m not. You probably aren’t, either.

Failure is part of the process. Every process. So we can either hide from it, run away, pretend it’s not there, or we can learn to deal with failure.

I vote for option #2.

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Plan for failure. Rather than visualizing only the perfect, optimal scenario, ask what you’ll do when thing don’t go right. Great to hope for sunny weather–good idea to pack rain gear.

Learn from failure. Every mistake contains a lesson. Incremental improvement happens when we learn the lessons, avoid repeating mistakes, and move forward.

Realize that failing doesn’t make me (or you) a failure. Mistakes don’t define us. Doesn’t mean it’s always easy to stumble, but nobody said anything about it being easy. Skinned knees and bruised egos heal. They aren’t who we are.

Jesus does not see you and I as our mistakes. He resolved that nonsense at the cross so we could live in freedom.

I’m not about simplistic platitudes. I know, perhaps better than most folks, the danger of allowing mistakes to define me. Jesus and I still talk about my true identity. I’m a slow learner. He’s patient.

When we invite you to find your role in the crazy journey of hope called the FREEDOM TOUR, we often paint a sunny, warm picture. On the inside, we’re a community of flawed individuals stumbling down the road. Failure isn’t optional, but it’s okay.

We’re together on a journey of hope. Join us!

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