Growing Through Failure

This is an excerpt from my latest book, Practicing Faith

      There are surprising advantages to growing older; each year is a slightly higher platform for viewing the past. I was thinking about that when I heard a podcast speaker ask, “What would you attempt if you knew you couldn’t fail?” He was implying that the fear of failure was stopping us from attempting what we truly wanted.

      By the time I arrived at my favorite writing booth in Whataburger, the question had morphed into this: How has personal failure changed me and shaped our family’s life?

      Of course, I started making a list.

What Would Have Been Different If I’d Gone through Life Never Failing

      I would be braver if I knew I couldn’t fail, but without the risk of failure what is the meaning of courage?

      I would never have learned humility from having to start over so often after losing my job so many times.

      I would believe our family’s destiny, safety, and success depended solely on my economic decisions and brain power.

      I would’ve never experienced the restless heart that’s pulled me toward God.

      I would’ve succeeded in my first attempt at the Golden Yucca Marathon, never fully appreciating how difficult it was.

      I wouldn’t have needed all those time-consuming and often painful training runs before each marathon. I could’ve simply lined up and run without preparation—and missed the deep spiritual meditations that came from those advance runs.

      I would still have the same misguided belief of self-sufficiency and invulnerability I had when I was twenty.

      I would’ve never experienced the strengthening, maturing, and seasoning that comes from a failure-laden journey.

      I wouldn’t have sought out sages for wisdom and advice. I would still think success was all about me.

      I would have no patience with those who are suffering and those who fail.

      I would have leaped up the corporate ladder moving to California, missing so many ministries and relationships in Midland.

      I wouldn’t know what it means to prepare.

      I would’ve jumped into teaching opportunities way too soon, before I found my voice or, more importantly, before I found my life message.

      I would never have needed, understood, or experienced forgiveness.

      I wouldn’t have learned to listen to advice.

      I would be worthless to anyone asking my advice, since failure is the only way we really learn anything worthy of sharing.

      I would’ve never learned to give credit to others.

      I would’ve never learned to recognize bad advice.

      I would’ve never learned the details of why success happens.

      I would not understand or know risk. And without risk, there is no room for love, only conquest.

      I would never have learned that Plan B is often better than Plan A.

      I would’ve never learned how to learn.

      I would’ve never known anyone smarter than me

      I would’ve never learned the joy of spontaneous improvisation in sticky situations.

      I would’ve never known how much I needed grace and never learned how to give grace away.

      We love to quote the movie Apollo 13: “Failure is not an option.” But the statement is wrong. Failure is not only a live option, but also a certainty. If the oxygen tank in the Apollo 13 service module hadn’t failed, turning a moon landing into a rescue mission, NASA would never have had their “finest moment.”

“I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free.” Psalm 119:32