Admitting Failure

by Victoria Gaines
Published October 15, 2008

"I rejoice in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9 b

My failure is my key to living this Christian life. If that sounds strange, just think about a wonderful paradox: In our weakness, He is strong.

So why are we trying so hard to hide our weakness? Our problem is not our weakness but that we're slow to admit it. We'd rather keep our game face on, draining every single drop of our own strength before admitting we're finally bankrupt.

What we believe soon becomes evident in our lives. Because it's one thing to give lip service and nod in agreement with truth; it's quite another to believe it.

We're fooled if we think our acceptance in Christ is based on our service. Some, desperate to feel and look spiritual, work at appearances. "You've just gotta fake it til you make it," I heard one friend tell another. But that's a lie. God hasn't called us to a life of pretense. He's not asking us to try harder! The onus, in fact, is not on us at all.

If we think our acceptance in Him is based on what we do, or how well we do it, our identity is clearly misplaced. Guilt will sap our spirit.

A few days ago I drove down the street to run some errands. I started thinking about this blog, the readers who look here for encouragement, my failure to be consistent. I see how my attitude can flare at home; how that makes me feel like a hypocrite sometimes. Anyway, I confessed all this to the Lord, admitting my need of Him. For some reason, memories of a time when I had failed to honor Him came to beat me with a stick. The mental haranging caught me off guard. Now, I've no doubt the devil attacks our thought life, but sometimes the problem is us - we need to get some facts straight:-)

So I drove around with a wilting spirit until His Spirit quickened me with some truth:

Christ is not shocked by my failures. Christ is not disappointed in me. Christ is not sick and tired of me. In fact, Christ suffers no illusion at all when it comes to who I am, or what I've done. He's forgiven me and is sanctifying me, day by day. He absolutely overcomes my despair and REJOICES when I finally exclaim with the Apostle Paul:

"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out." ~ Romans 7:18 (ESV)

Do you remember all that Paul went through? And yet he set his eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of his faith.

"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" ~ Romans 7:24-25 (ESV)

To focus on sin, the devil, the world, or self is a complete waste of precious time. Trying to pump myself up gets me nowhere; abiding in Him is fruitful. We can stop bemoaning our weakness or trying to hide it, and simply rest in Him. Scripture reminds us to rejoice in our weakness, so that His strength becomes ours. As we look to Christ instead of our failings, we enter into the Life that overcomes:
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

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