Every house we lived in needed some work. They weren’t fixer-uppers per se, but over the course of time, we knew they would need some changes.
We took the changes, one might call updates, little by little. We did them over the years, as money afforded, and time allowed. But never did we do them all at once.
Even now, when something big goes wrong, I can wonder if we should have had a new house. Meaning, a home where everything was brand, spanking new. Never used before. Then perhaps nothing would break down, or fail to operate. And then I remember.
“Failure can be a good thing.”
The words came out of my mouth recently. And they are true. We tend to view failure through the lens of embarrassment and hopelessness.
Much like when something breaks down in an older home. When the toilet won’t flush or the sink backs up, we must look for the reason. We can plunge, use drain declogger, snake the pipe, and eventually call a plumber.
Yet failure can bring about good changes. We are forced to look at the root cause.
I think God likes to fix us people as well.
“For I am confident of this very thing,
that He who began a good work in you
will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.“
(Philippians 1:6, NASB)
He doesn’t give up on any one of us. He knows we are frail. So the process of change begins to take place. It occurs over the days and years as we read His Word, look at our hearts, and allow Him to heal our souls.
God has been working with flawed people since the beginning of time. None were perfect from the start. Their flaws were transformed into strengths.
Fear became courage.
Doubt became faith.
Anger became peaceable.
Blindness became sight.
Impetuousness became boldness.
“And He has said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”
Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9, NASB)
Failure can be a good thing.
God is not looking for perfection from us,
for it is His power which is perfected in us.
Reflection:
Is there a failure in your life which brings you embarrassment or
hopelessness? Give it to God in prayer. Surrender it to Him and invite
Him to work in the middle of it, to perfect it and use it.
What a good analogy, Joanne. I'm so glad He works on us bit by bit and doesn't overwhelm us with everything that needs changing at once.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Barbara. It truly would have overwhelmed me to do all the changes at one time - both spiritually and in our home! God is most kind and gracious to make it manageable for us.
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