Help Me Fail by Anthony ThompsonSample

Day 1: Peter's Denial

Key Scripture: Luke 22:61-62 - "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.' And he went outside and wept bitterly."

Before we kick off this devotional, I have to give credit to Pastor Steven Furtick, founder of Elevation Church.

His failure story was the catalyst for me to write, "Help Me Fail." As Pastor Steven shared about an experience he had in the gym, I felt nudged to share a similar experience.

This entire devotional is constructed to help you transform your ideas of failure into a fabulous future. Before you begin, ask the Lord to translate these words for you.

Transformation is there for you.

The gym was dark, and the weights were cold, but I was ready.

I was in the middle of an intense workout session with some bad dudes. This wasn’t some Peloton spin class - I was in the midst of what “Dwayne Johnson, AKA - The Rock” would call, an Iron Paradise.

As I took a break from my set, I watched these two behemoth humans stack plate upon plate onto the bar.

It was a Tuesday, and the workout was designed to destroy our back and biceps. We were only at the beginning of the workout when I heard one of the guys grunt, “Help - Me - Fail,” with a growl and a bit of spit flying out of his mouth.

I turned around to see his face redder than a radish, and nearly every vein popping out of his arms. The bar was bending. He was trying to finish off his 8th or 9th rep, somewhere around there.

His spotter was right there, holding the bar slightly enough for his arms not to buckle and crush him. I watched in amazement at not only the weight he was lifting but also his distinct call out, “Help - Me - Fail.”

I’m not a professional in muscles or anything, but I’ve worked out enough to know that the reps that make you fail, are the reps that make you grow.

Let me repeat that idea because it will be the anchor of this devotional.

The circumstances in your life that make you feel like you are failing, are the ones that will create the most growth in your life.

So when (let’s call him) Hercules was lifting and he said, “Help Me Fail,” what he meant by that was, help me maximize my growth. Help me get bigger. Help me get stronger.

That’s exactly what I want for you. While the title says, “Help Me Fail,” I really want you to reimagine failure as an opportunity for growth.

And let’s be honest here - my hand is raised for plenty of failure moments and FEELINGS.

As you read this, and meditate on it, my prayer is for you to see failure as growth.

The enemy wants you to focus on all your failures. God wants to re-engineer those feelings of failure into growth in your life. (If you will let Him).

I want you to imagine what the apostle Peter felt when he denied Jesus three times.

Do you want to talk about feeling like a failure, THIS was it for Peter. Not only did Peter deny Jesus, but Peter glanced over at Jesus when he did it.

Peter would have been wrecked. I would have been wrecked too. How in the world do you come back from disowning the Lord and Savior?

The Messiah, the Christ - Peter would have been CRUSHED!

At that moment, life looked impossible for Peter. At that moment I am sure Peter felt like his future was finished.

HOWEVER - the story does not end there.

Thank God for his love, and grace in our lives. It’s easy for us to read the story of Peter because we know the ending.

We know that only a few chapters later he sees Jesus again, and falls at his feet. We know later that Peter becomes one of the chief builders of God’s church.

However, when Peter denied Jesus - he didn’t know the ending. He just knew he felt like a failure.

What about you and the failures in your life?

Are you prepared to see them differently?

Have you considered how they are growing you?

What is the Lord teaching you in this season where you feel like a failure?

What are you clinging to in those moments?

The greatest growth is happening in those moments of failure. Just like your muscles, your character, and your future is being forged.

It hurts. It’s painful. It sucks. It’s hard to see a way out.

Welcome to growth.

Peter became the greatest builder of the church. His tears of regret watered the seeds of his faith.

Powerful stuff!

Thought-Provoking Questions:

• How does acknowledging your failures lead to personal and spiritual growth?
• Reflect on a time when a personal failure deepened your understanding or relationship with God. What was the lesson learned?

Daily Affirmation: Today, I recognize that my failures are not final. They are the fertile ground for my growth and the strength of my faith.