Embrace the Failures

Do you like making mistakes? If we are truly honest with ourselves the answer is absolutely not! It’s painful and it’s embarrassing all at the same time. Our human nature (at least mine!) is to do everything perfectly and to try and hide it when we make a mistake. “People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” Proverbs 28:13.

God is telling us through this scripture that it is impossible to learn from a mistake if we don’t first acknowledge that we made one. What if we shifted our mindset to look at mistakes a little differently? What if we started to actually embrace our mistakes and not wallow in our pity? What if we started to look for something that needs to change inside of us after we realize the mistake that we’ve made?

I recently just celebrated a significant work anniversary. I have been working a LONG time. And I can tell you the one thing that plagues most leaders in the workplace is the inability to say, “I was wrong.” It’s almost like if you admit you made a mistake you are going to turn into a pumpkin at midnight. Whether it is at work or at home; we’ve all been there. And, probably wishing we would turn into the pumpkin versus having to look people in the face and say, “you know what, I was wrong about that one; I apologize.”

We are not perfect even when we try to fool everyone into thinking that we are. It is impossible! Perfection in this life does not exist. Perfection is God. He is the only one that can claim perfection. God sent his perfect and blameless son to die on the cross so that we could confess our mistakes and be forgiven. Failing hurts, it can rip our heart into pieces as we struggle through the waves of regret. But the beauty of making a mistake is that we learn to be more dependent on God. We learn to turn to Him for strength to say “I am sorry” AND the strength to move on.

Mistakes do not define us. Mistakes refine us. Embrace the mistake and thank God for allowing you to walk through it.

Happy Friday from Rooted!

Heather & Lisa