Why are we afraid of failure? The fear of it can keep us from trying new or intimidating things. It can make us do whatever it takes (ethical or not) to make sure we succeed. Whatever way we try to avoid it, failure is something we fear to face.
Why we fear failure
Failure is a reflection of our sin. When we fail at something, we’re being reminded of our inherited sin. From Adam, all of mankind has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but not all have faced that fact. Our individual failures are echoing reminders that we have failed on an eternal level. This can make us hide away, avoiding our failure as Adam and Eve did in the Garden after eating the forbidden fruit. It can also make us go to extreme means to “defeat” our failures as Cain did when he murdered his brother for bringing the better offering to God. The truth is, we can neither hide from nor fight failure. At some point, we all must face it and facing our failures reminds us that at some point, we must also face our sin.
How God sees our failure
God can see every imperfection in us. He knows our hearts, our actions, and our thoughts. When Christ was sacrificed on the cross he did it so that every one of our sins was placed upon him. When God sees our failure, he sees it upon Christ the sacrificial lamb who was offered up for our sins and bears our burdens.
How to face failure
Is it okay for a Christian to fail? Yes and it is inevitable. We have all fallen short but that it is not the end of it. We must not let the fear of failure hinder us from the things God has called us to nor motivate us to take our lives into our own hands. Let failure come and let it echo reminders of our sin. But let it also echo a reminder that Christ has taken the burden of our sin. Being a sinner who is not covered by Christ is the most terrifying thing you could ever face. But in Christ we no longer need to fear the consequences of failure because the ultimate deserved wrath was taken by Jesus.
“21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” – Romans 3: 21-26
We have been justified through our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us put our hope in him and his victory. Let us draw near to him in humility and with confidence to face our failures.
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