Failing Is OkaySample

A GROWTH ESSENTIAL Failure is generally considered unacceptable, something usually frowned upon. “Failure is not an option.” “Do it right the first time.” These clichés are held up as core values, especially by those in leadership positions. Such expectations appear normal, even required, to achieve success in any undertaking. But success itself is transient. It is merely an event. Besides, success is a matter of perspective. A 100-meter sprinter who wins a gold medal at the Olympics is considered a success, even a celebrity, by the entire world. But he may consider himself a failure because he did not win the sprint in record time. The Bible, thankfully, does not speak a ‘success’ language. It speaks a ‘growth’ language. When God told the nation of Israel that he had “plans to prosper” them (Jer. 29:11), He did not mean that they would taste success in everything. Rather, he meant that they would grow, progress, multiply and live in contentment knowing that God will see them through. It may be true that growth results from a series of successes. But focusing on success alone would lead to missing the forest for the trees. Organisations and churches should risk failure by daring to dream and developing deeper desires. God’s desire was nothing less than reconciling the whole of creation back to himself in Christ. Has He succeeded? Yes, and no. Is His Kingdom growing? A resounding YES! To encourage a culture of growth one should consider failure not as a threat, but as something valuable. Challenge your team to dream big. Gift them the freedom to fail. Treat both successes and failures as equally essential ingredients in the growth process. In the final analysis, we will discover that failure is indeed not an option, but a necessity. Prayer: Dear God, give us your heart to accept failure with patience, knowing well that you use all our endeavors to grow your Kingdom.