But What If I Fail

The fear of failure is one of the most gripping and paralyzing of all fears. True fulfillment in life is many times severely limited simply by the fear of failure. This fear often manifests itself in the lack of taking risks or trying new experiences or perhaps listening to God’s calling in our lives. We often find reasons (that are actually disguised excuses) as to why the “time is not right,” or we’re waiting for “things to come together better,” or we’ll take advantage of “the next opportunity.” Unfortunately, the final result is no action. This type of mindset, of overemphasizing lacks or failure, or even the possibility of failure, can be a tremendous hindrance when it comes to God’s desire to use us for His kingdom. His calling of us to action becomes subject to our mind and our thoughts, and not according to His mind and His will. We are encouraged in God’s word to know that God doesn’t think of us in the ways that we sometimes think of ourselves. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My way says the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8) “For I know that thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) There is an assurance that can be gained in knowing that the thoughts and plans God has for our lives are for our good and for His glory. However, if we forfeit this assurance by being predisposed to what we think will prevent us from being used by God, we find that more often than not we respond as Moses did. That is, we do not respond favorably to the calling because we are responding according to the perception we have of ourselves as opposed to trusting God’s knowledge of us.