failure.

“What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?” –Robert H. Schuller

I hate that question. To me, it’s like dangling a carrot. Sure, it’s nice to dream, but the question implies a life that does not exist—a life free of failure.

But this is earth. And here on earth, failure is no stranger.

I’ve always been afraid of failure. That’s probably why I drove myself to get straight As throughout my elementary school years, and why it irks me to this day that I ended my college career with a GPA of 3.97. (That stupid Shakespeare class…)

I’ve been afraid of failing in relationships, too—be it with my family, friends, coworkers, or even the Lord. I’m always working to do, say, and be perfect…to no avail, of course. Striving has always been my issue, and it’s because I’m afraid of missing the mark.

But if there’s one thing I’ve had to come to terms with in my adult life, it’s that failure is real. It’s a fact of life. But most importantly, I don’t have to be afraid of it. In the hands of my loving God, failure can be a tool to shape me into the person He designed me to be all along.

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24 (emphasis mine).

I’ve been learning lately that failure can be a great thing. First, it certainly keeps me humble. It also teaches me how not to do things, which is often just as important as the how-to. And if I let it, it can drive me into deeper dependence on the Lord! Triple win.

Failure doesn’t have to be final. God doesn’t intend for it to be. Because of Jesus, we have the freedom to dream, to try, to fail, and to try again. We will stumble—fact of life. But He upholds us with His hand—blessed reassurance!

So, when it comes to dreaming of the future, I think a more apt question for me is:

“What dream has God placed on my heart that is worth the risk of failure?”

I’m going to experience failure. And then I’m going to learn from it. Because the risk of not living the life God has planned for me is too great to shrink back.