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THURSDAY THOUGHT 5/21/09

The Gift of Failure
 
I used to think that when I embraced God, my life would be a piece of cake, a walk in the park, an easy ride up the escalator to heaven.  Boy, did I have another think coming!
 
I’ve learned that God doesn’t take away our challenges and our suffering.  But what He does give us is the ability to get up with joy and the knowledge of forgiveness and love each and every time we fall on our faces or get knocked down by one of those two-by-fours of life.  It also seems to me that it is those setbacks — those stumbles and tumbles — that help us grow into the men and women we were meant to be … and that is growth we would not realize — ever — if life were one big, joyful and juicy bowl of pit-free cherries.     
 
My point:  Several, actually.  For one thing, forget about this perfection stuff.  It just ain’t gonna happen.  Just do the best you can and leave the rest up to God.  Second, give thanks for the gift of failure and for the struggles of each day.  My prayers for myself each day have been whittled down to one simple request:  “Lord, please give me faith and strength and guidance.  Everything else is Your business, Lord, not mine.” — jri
 
“The main thing we learn from a serious
attempt to practice the Christian virtues
is that we fail.”
    –    C.S. Lewis
            (Mere Christianity)