“The biggest mistake you could ever make is being too afraid to make one.” ~ Unknown
“Can I do this?”
“If I do this, will I succeed?”
“If I do this, will others think I’m crazy?”
“If I do this, will I be stuck doing it again?”
“What if everyone laughs at me for doing this?”
We ask ourselves a lot of questions before we ever attempt anything. Oftentimes, in the process of asking ourselves those questions, we become afraid of messing up whatever it is we were going to attempt. Fearing the consequences of a failure, we decide not to act. In doing so, a task remains unaccomplished, a goal unreached, and a chance to succeed remains beyond our grasp.
All because we were too afraid to make a mistake, too afraid to fail.
There are many business personalities and sports figures who will claim that failing is just as important — perhaps even more important — as succeeding. The failures in their lives spurred them on to try harder or to reinvent themselves in ways that made them the best at whatever it was they attempted.
Walt Disney once said, “I think it’s important to have a good hard failure when you’re young. I learned a lot out of that. Because it makes you kind of aware of what can happen to you. Because of it I’ve never had any fear in my whole life when we’ve been near collapse and all of that. I’ve never been afraid. I’ve never had the feeling I couldn’t walk out and get a job doing something.” His early failures made him resilient and helped him to steer his budding company to huge success.
Michael Jordan once said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” He let his failures fuel him to greater heights in his sport.
If we allow potential failures to keep us from acting, we may as well stay in bed all day. God gave us many gifts, talents, and abilities. One of those abilities it to learn from our failures and to rise above them. However, we can only do that if we actually try.
Some people are afraid to fail in their attempts for a deeper spiritual life. Because of that, they never take the next step in their relationship with God. Their relationship remains rather “safe” and shallow. If they do not confront and overcome their fear, they will not be able to know the joy of a deep friendship with God. Their trust and confidence in God will be lacking.
God does not want that. God wants us as close to Him as possible. Do not fear messing up your spiritual life, your friendship with God. He will accept your attempt and multiply it many times over. Do not be afraid to try. Be as dedicated to your faith life as possible and try to get closer to God a little bit more each day.
FAITH ACTION: Be firm and bold in your actions today, that you may show the Lord the desire for Him that is in your heart.