Never Be Afraid To Fail

Beloved,

It is another wonderful Wednesday, a day that we call HOPE Wednesday when at 6:30pm, Zion Memorial gathers for the Hour Of Power and Encouragement.

I do not know about you; but, I sometimes need some more of God's power and encouragement from God and God's people.

Why? Because life gets hard sometimes and the hardest part can be when I try my best and fail.

Failure, not succeeding, is a part of life; but, some people are afraid of that part of life. As a result, some people will never try to live their best life because they are afraid of failing along the way.

I have learned to not be afraid of failure.

When I tried out for the school basketball team in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade and got cut each time, I had failed and I could have given up. Instead, I tried out again in 10th grade and made the team. I only played a little; but, I succeeded because I did not give up. I had failed but I was not a failure. God already had everything worked out.

When I wanted to work for a certain company while in business school and was told that the time was not right, I took a job with a company that wanted me but who I did not really want. I continued to pursue my dream and was able to work with that dream company three years later and it truly launched me into the investment career I desired. I had initially failed to get want I wanted but I was not a failure. God already had everything worked out.

When my wife initially gave me the wrong phone number when I asked her for it and would barely speak with me when I got the right phone number, I persisted with little results. Well, God had already revealed to me, when I first laid eyes on her, that she would be the one I would marry even though I had to wait on her to agree to be my girlfriend, fiancee, and, now, my wife. I had initially failed to get what I wanted but I was not a failure. God already had everything worked out.

Beloved, I share these personal examples to encourage you to know that if God has a plan for your life, you should not allow anything or anyone else to abort His plans for your life...not even you. Failing in the journey is going to teach you something that you would never ever know or learn otherwise. Believe it or not, the lesson is not about self-determination. It is really a lesson in relying on God because God has already worked everything out.

Micah 7:8 encourages us, "Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me."

Scripture tells us that God's word is supposed to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Scripture also counsels us that the steps of a good man (or woman) are ordered by the Lord.

Received a slightly different way, pressure off of you and faith onto God and in the plan that He has designed for your life from birth.

If it is all really on God and about God, never accept that you are a failure and never be afraid to fail at anything that you attempt.

Instead, be zealous, mighty, marvelous, bold and courageous as you pursue your God-given destiny that will enrich your life, the lives of others, and bring our God praise, honor and glory.

I look forward to seeing you this evening at HOPE Wednesday as we encourage each other through our successes and failures that are simply a part of life on this side of glory as we journey to the other side.

You come and bring someone with you. What we have going on at Zion Memorial is to good to keep it to ourselves.

And, remember, God loves you and I love you too!

Be blessed,

Rev. Cain