Praying Through Failure

You did it! You messed up, big time. You let yourself and probably others down. You failed!

But you aren’t a failure.

Your emotions might tell you that you are. Your friends might tell you that you are. Some of your family might even say that you are. And the worse one… you tell yourself that you are. But God never agrees. 

Life is full of mistakes and failures. We measure and compare ourselves with others, living life more for each other than we do ourselves or God. When the mistakes come, we are devastated. Our inner and “other” voices tell us that we will never be good enough.

None of us like to fail, yet, failure can be positive. When we approach our failure as an opportunity to become better instead of a stamp mark of identity, we find ourselves learning from our mistakes instead of being identified by them. Failure can make us stronger, wiser, more forgiving, patient, and humble.

Successful business owners use their failures as stepping stones for change. Often, those who invest in start-up companies pick those entrepreneurs which have already failed, simply because they know the person has already learned a hard lesson that they will try not to repeat.

Though failure is generally looked at negatively, you can chose to view it positively, as God does. Even when Israel failed God repeatedly, His response was:

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool”. (Isaiah 1:18)

He took the bad and created good.

There will be times that you feel like a failure… it’s normal. You may mess up a friendship, a promise, a test, a job, a college education, a relationship with a parent, or even your walk with God. But when these times come use the following prayer helps below to help you pray through your struggle, instead of being identified by it.

• Repent and ask God’s forgiveness, if necessary, also forgiving yourself. 
• Ask God to talk to you and help you learn from your situation.
• Pray that you would see yourself as God does, instead of what your emotions are telling you.
• Pray that others, who were impacted by your mistake, would be forgiving towards you.
• If your mistake affected someone else, ask God how you can make things right with them, and then do it.
• Pray that you would be as forgiving with others in their mistakes, as you want them to be with you in yours.
• Pray for peace in your mind, and good thoughts. Don’t allow yourself to dwell on negative emotions or thoughts.
• Pray that God would help you to see your future as He does, instead of how your current situation makes you feel it will turn out.

Failure is only a true failure when we quit trying.

Colleen Clabaugh
Kids & Youth Prayer Coordinator