Very often we see failure as something very negative. Indeed something to be avoided completely. What if failure wasn’t such as bad thing after all? How different will our lives be if we perceived failure in other ways?
Fear of Failing
Failure and the fear of it is probably the most debilitating condition we suffer day in day out. This robs us of the opportunity to truly attain all the feats we are capable of in every sphere of life: academia, business, careers, marriage, ministry et cetera.
It was lunch time. Right after lessons had adjoured for the day. As my fellow students and I approached the dining hall, we were suddenly overran by other students who were writing their final papers. Their mission? Take the dining hall. Objective? Raid as many tables of the food served for students – 12 per table.
This weekend I had the double sorrow of bidding farewell to two brothers: a friend and a cousin. Both cut down in their prime. Two big potentials who had their mortal remains lowered back into the dust but their spirits returned to their Maker. God never designed man to die but sin changed the course of man’s destiny and has guaranteed pain and sorrow from generation to generation.
Yet still, mortality is an acute reminder of our frailty as human beings. We very often focus on things that do not matter. When a man dies on his tombstone or epitaph is written a few words. Very often it is a reference to whom he is survived by. Very rarely will his achievements be mentioned. No matter the amount of wealth, power, status or privilege in death it doesn’t matter. Indeed it is his most important relationships that are mentioned.
Yes, what does God really want? Many people often say that they do not know if He exists let alone know what He wants. If one reads the Old Testament it will seem like He is one demanding entity, almost a killjoy! All those “You shall”s and “You shall not”s.
Who can even meet half of the requirement of His Law? Very good question.
No one.
As we enter Passion Week it is important to remind ourselves what Easter is all about. Easter is not about chocolate eggs or bunnies. It’s about something very serious – a blood sacrifice. Indeed in our very sanitised world today concepts like a blood sacrifice seems anachronistic or the stuff of the occult.
However, blood sacrifices are not as uncommon as we may think. Almost every other day a special group within the community lay down their lives for the rest of us. Soldiers lay down their lives in order that our freedom is guaranteed.