You Don’t Have to Fear Failure
By Rick Warren
“There is no one on earth who does what is right all the time and never makes a mistake.” Ecclesiastes 7:20 (GNT)
In some cultures, failure is almost the unpardonable sin. That’s because we idolize success. But that kind of pressure creates major stress for people.
The fear of failure has many different faces. It can cause us to be indecisive, a workaholic, and a perfectionist and cling to safety. Because we’re afraid to fail, we shun all kinds of risks.
For many of us, that fear of failure has an iron grip on our hearts. Even some of the best and the brightest people in the world are the most impacted by a fear of failure. They may look confident, but they are crippled on the inside by their fear.
That’s why you need to internalize this one simple message: We’ve all made mistakes.
It’s not just a “you problem.” It’s a human problem. The Bible says, “There is no one on earth who does what is right all the time and never makes a mistake” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 GNT).
Not only have you made mistakes in the past, but you’ll also make more mistakes in the future. I guarantee it. Even playing it safe and refusing to take risks is a mistake!
As a pastor, I had people ask me all the time, “What if I fail?” I wanted to ask them, “What do you mean if?”
You’ve already failed many, many times in life. So have I. And you’ll fail again and again in the future. So will I.
Even superstars stumble. The greatest basketball players in the NBA only hit half their shots. The most famous actor in the world doesn’t always make a blockbuster movie. Failure is normal.
You’ll never overcome your fear of failure until you fully accept the reality that you’re not perfect.
The Bible says there is only one failure you need to fear: “Be careful that no one fails to receive God’s grace” (Hebrews 12:15 NCV).
You need grace. We all do!
When we let go of the fear of failure, it will let go of its maddening grip on our lives. Only then can we accept the grace of God.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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