The writer of Hebrews said: ‘I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets…whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies’ (vv. 32-34 NIV). Some of the biggest success stories in Scripture are about people who struggled with weaknesses and character flaws. They were mired in seeming failure and defeat, yet by God’s grace they overcame the obstacles and odds stacked against them. The overriding theme of the Bible is resurrection – getting back up again! Here is the question: if you can’t avoid failure, and you’re not supposed to give in to it or let it colour your thinking, how do you handle it? First, change your attitude. Cartoon character Homer Simpson summarised the attitude of many of us when he said, ‘Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is – never try.’ Suffice it to say, Homer is a classic underachiever! In another episode, he quips, ‘Trying is the first step toward failure.’ The bottom line is, Homer never tries, so like many real people, he stays stuck. The people who succeed in life have faith and tenacity. They refuse to give up; they have decided not to let failure defeat them. Note the words ‘whose weakness was turned to strength’. You may start out weak, but by God’s grace, you can become strong. You can rise from the ashes of failure, achieve your goals, and live the life God intends. How do we know? Because God’s Word says so!
