"What Do You Do When You Just Keep Failing?"

 Here is a beautiful article written by Mrs. Joseph Wood at a moment with mom.

This was the question one of my children presented as we drove into town. I asked them to explain and the conversation went on like this…

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Well, I just keep messing up. I keep trying, keep praying and yet, I keep doing what I don’t want to do!” the child replied. I asked my next question, “Well define failure for me?” The child went on to explain that it when you keep messing up and doing what you don’t want to do no matter how hard you try. I understood now and answered, “I see. We have different ideas of what failure is. See, I believe failure is when you stop trying. It’s when you mess up and stop trying to ever do different. That’s what failure is to me. The Scriptures tell us that while we will fall we will also arise. Failure is not messing up… even if you’ve messed up 1001 times. Failure is falling and never getting up. Failure is giving up. Failure is NOT the act of messing up no matter how many times you’ve messed up. As far, as I can tell you’ve not failed yet.” The child pondered for a moment and earnestly replied, “Hmm… I see now. I think I am looking at this all wrong.” with a smile I said,”I think you might be dear child.”

 How many times as wives and mothers we’ve felt the feelings of failure as well? Our homes aren’t as clean as we like, we’re not as sweet and dream, our tongues aren’t nearly as bridled as we know they should be, and the list could go on and on. We too need these reminders that messing up, getting it wrong… even if it’s the 100th time we’ve got it wrong, is not failure if we try again. Rather, let us place all our hope in His grace to help us overcome our weaknesses!

A few days later, we read Romans chapter 7 as a family. God opened each of our eyes. There before us, we read as Paul struggled with the same feelings of “failure”. Several times he said that he does that which he does not want to do concluding with, “O wretched man that I am!” Many of us giggled, understanding how torn you feel when you are trying to do that which you know is right and somehow find your flesh still overcoming and doing that which you do not wish to do! Would any of us call Paul a failure? Of course not! So why then, do we listen to the voices in our head, the lies that say we are failing, failed or failures? Let us put away such thinking! Let us cling to Truth and press forward in this race! If we do not grow weary in well doing we will reap a great reward!

Here are some passages you may enjoy posting throughout your home so you can ponder on them the next time feeling like you’re failing.

To God be the Glory,
Mrs. Joseph Wood

Romans Chapter 7

Micah 7:8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.