"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.

 

Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaks

Well, this is a hard subject for me to write on, but it is where I am at, so I felt led to put it on here too. I have a hard time with my mouth, a lot, I say things without thinking and then regret them afterwards. As I was reading a chapter from one of my favorite books last week, there were all these verses on our heart and mouth. In the past I have always focused on what I say, but God's Word shows us that if we control what goes into our hearts then what comes out of our mouth will be good. Here is one of those verses, "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." (Luke 6:45) So I saw that I must be VERY vigilant watching what I allow into my mind and heart. What do I watch, what do I read, what/who do I listen to, what do I dwell on.
God says I must KEEP my mind on, "...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8) I must also, "...examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)
I also must remember to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)
So if you are like me, which I hope you are not, keep these verses close to you, memorize them and let God use them to change what is on the inside, so what comes out will be honorable and pleasing to Him (and less likely to get you into trouble.)