I remember in school there were those special people who would worry the entire day because they had failed one exam. I wonder how they are handling life right now. I mean, yes, there is a disappointment that comes with failing when you were hopeful to pass, but there is also a bigger issue when one cannot overlook that failure and allow themselves to move on.
I believe 99% of the world’s population has failed at something. Be it school, a business, a relationship, an examination, or even something as simple as taking your first steps. Children, too, fail to take their first steps until after some time. There are, however, two kinds of people in this world: those who learn from their failures, let go and move on to do better, and those who never let go, so they never move on.
You would be shocked at the things people have failed to let go of. Eh! Like I said yesterday, we still don’t judge anyone, but come to class. Take a chair and let’s talk. If you read yesterday’s blog, you will find out that I struggled to let go of my favourite glass doll, Khethiwe. I did everything possible to fix her and held on much longer than I should have. In the end, she became a danger to me. That’s what happens to us when we hold on to failure for too long. It becomes a danger, particularly to our self-esteem and identity.
Peter failed to walk on water. Well, he walked a few steps, but he didn’t get to experience that moment without failure. Was it a good act of faith when he started? Yes! He actually attempted something nobody else did. Now, imagine if he had kept beating himself up daily, losing his appetite and even getting depressed because he started drowning and failed to walk all the way to Jesus. Refusing even to spend time with Jesus because he is too “stressed”
Today, we learn so much from his story, positive things. Personally, I love that story, and I consider his faith something beautiful, even more than the fears that kicked in. Even when he wrote his share of the Bible, he never mentions that particular failure.
Ask some of us to write one blog, and it will be full of that story about what happened last year and how we failed at something. We would talk about it until eternity. Given an opportunity, even on radio, we would want everyone to know that we failed and that they should feel sorry for us. We forget that even attempting to do something is a big thing, something we should be applauded for.
Listen, I have had many failures. You know I failed Mathematics dismally. Lol! As in, I got a very terrible mark. I can only calculate money, and funny enough, I thought I would pass it because, during the examination, it looked like I was actually calculating quite well. But to my surprise, lol, the results were soooo bad. Haaa! If you guys knew but when people talk about school, I don’t carry that on my head o, ah ah, I won’t.
I have failed at many businesses, after using all my money to start them. As in ALL. I have failed in relationships, in friendships and even in my spiritual life. People of God, many, many times, I have also had to talk myself out of the pity party of failure that leads to low self-esteem. It will scatter your confidence.
Today, I am saying, let go. Yes, you thought you would win that time, but it didn’t work out. It’s okay. It’s really okay. Someone would say, “No, it’s not okay because I would be far in life right now.” Do you know that the world never works like that? We work with facts. The fact is, that’s what happened. It’s the reality. What would have happened? Nobody knows. So, you shouldn’t base your life on what could have happened.
I’m not trying to be hard on anyone, but sometimes, to get someone to learn, you have to tell them the truth, even if it sounds like you are being insensitive. I’m not being insensitive. I’ve seen many people stay in one place when they could have moved on to greater heights, and they will tell you, “Oh, I can’t do it because last time I failed.” Last time? Who’s talking about last time? We’re talking about now!
Pack all your failures, all of them, every bit of them, and put them in a bag. I want us to throw them into the river today. Throw all that baggage away.
The disciples failed to heal the man’s son. Literally. The man said, “I brought him to your disciples, but the men couldn’t do anything.” He even told Jesus about their failure. That someone will tell people about your failures in life. You know African aunties and their gossip squads. They spread news faster than BBC! The man told Jesus that these people had failed. Grown men failed!
They will say, “Ah, a big girl like you!” or “A handsome boy like you!” They will hammer you with words. But this failure still led the man to Jesus. So, a loss can lead to a win, right. Darling, let go. Yes, I know you failed to live a holy life this year. Let that go, repent and try again. Yes, you failed to run the business. Learn from the failure and move on.
Imagine if doctors struggled with this. With the number of people who die daily, they would be wrecked, constantly thinking, “I couldn’t save that person.” But the next day, they are back at work, performing surgery on someone else, even though yesterday’s surgery wasn’t successful. Think about that analogy, and let’s meet again tomorrow.
With all my love
V.🌹
If you read my blogs but have never met this Wonderful Jesus that I’m always writing about, you’d love to get to know Him, Or you know The Lord but have found yourself drifting far from Him, I would love to talk with you. Please send me an email on yieldedcwcenter@gmail.com or simply comment, and I will reach out to you
