A Benefit of Failure

By Jarrod Spencer –

Failure is a part of life. No one is going to have a life (from birth to death) without some areas of failure. Also, there will be repeated failures. Not all failures are going to represent “giving up.” However, they may facilitate the idea of giving up.

It can be frustrating as a parent when you know your child is capable of achieving something and they are not seeing it yet. They are failing and want to give up. You see the bigger picture, know their abilities, and try to help them to make it to the next mountain peak, rather than be sullen in the valley.

One of the few benefits of failing is to learn from it and have a new tool to be able to help you through life. Thinking on that brings me to this quote from Samuel Becket, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

As I mentioned, it can be difficult for a parent to be able to cause a child to go forth with something that they know the child can accomplish. With that said, don’t you think that God, as our Heavenly Father, may look at us sometimes and think “You can do this” while we are saying “I just want to quit.”

We are like that more often than we think. Our challenge is to try to look past the obstacle and see the opportunities. So even if we do fail, we fail better!

What have you had success in regarding a “do over” and what have you learned in the process? Remember, even if you fail, you fail better.

PRAYER: Father, I am thankful that though I fail, I am a new creation in You. I am thankful that You allowed Your Son to die for my sins. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to have my sins forgiven when, by faith, I am baptized, being immersed, into water. I am thankful that even when I make a mess of things later, the blood of Jesus continually cleanses me from those wrongs. Thank You!

“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38 ESV).

A Benefit of Failure

By Jarrod Spencer –

Failure is a part of life. No one is going to have a life (from birth to death) without some areas of failure. Also, there will be repeated failures. Not all failures are going to represent “giving up.” However, they may facilitate the idea of giving up.

It can be frustrating as a parent when you know your child is capable of achieving something and they are not seeing it yet. They are failing and want to give up. You see the bigger picture, know their abilities, and try to help them to make it to the next mountain peak, rather than be sullen in the valley.

One of the few benefits of failing is to learn from it and have a new tool to be able to help you through life. Thinking on that brings me to this quote from Samuel Becket, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

As I mentioned, it can be difficult for a parent to be able to cause a child to go forth with something that they know the child can accomplish. With that said, don’t you think that God, as our Heavenly Father, may look at us sometimes and think “You can do this” while we are saying “I just want to quit.”

We are like that more often than we think. Our challenge is to try to look past the obstacle and see the opportunities. So even if we do fail, we fail better!

What have you had success in regarding a “do over” and what have you learned in the process? Remember, even if you fail, you fail better.

PRAYER: Father, I am thankful that though I fail, I am a new creation in You. I am thankful that You allowed Your Son to die for my sins. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to have my sins forgiven when, by faith, I am baptized, being immersed, into water. I am thankful that even when I make a mess of things later, the blood of Jesus continually cleanses me from those wrongs. Thank You!

“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38 ESV).

The Goodness of Where We Are

By Jarrod Spencer –

What is a better time to celebrate than the present? When you start to add up all the blessings you have, you tend to appreciate life more and more.

The past has already happened, so to bring it to the future is only carrying unneeded baggage. This is usually easier said than done, especially when you are emotionally attached to some of the past baggage. I have negative memories of my childhood that I can remember pretty vividly. I have found that those memories may come with me, but how it affects my future depends on me. I can decide if it will permeate into other areas of my life, or I can try to release it and go on with life.

This has been a struggle at times, but it helps to leave the baggage in the past and move on with the future so I can also appreciate the present. Gigi Galluzzo has a quote that is poignant to the idea of appreciating the present. She says, “Life is indeed grander than ever, when we take the time to understand every bit of the goodness that exists right where we are.”

Have you ever been in search of something, then discover that it was literally right in front of you? I have, and it kind of made me feel like a foot at that moment.

That is similar to how we should react when we are caught looking backward and forward and not appreciating the present. Time is something you cannot take back. It is here for the moment but then it is gone. Moments add up to minutes which add up to hours. Hours add up to be days which add up to be weeks. Weeks add up to months which add up to years. To drift from one to the next can create losses in life.

I lost a friend recently to a fatal motorcycle crash. With no warning, he and his wife did not have the opportunity to share any final words together. They didn’t know that hours after they said ‘goodbye’ he would be gone.

May we all learn to appreciate the present as we never know how much future you will have in this world.

PRAYER: May I always appreciate the present, even in times I am in my valleys. Help me to see the good things, even when times are rough. You are the great Creator.

“Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells” (Psalm 26:8 NIV).

The Journey to Porcelain

By Jarrod Spencer –

When I was studying art in college, I had to take a pottery class. It was a medium of art I had never had the privilege of working with. To say the least, it was difficult. I improved my skills throughout the semester, but did not come close to “having a handle” on this art form.

I remember being a bit frustrated when I would go to “paint” my pots and not know what colors were going to appear. Some colors will appear a different color as when they go through the extreme heat of the kiln.

Mildred White Struven shares this thought: “A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. It has to go though the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain.”

As life hands each one of us our fair share of challenges, we may forget what we can become by going through the heat, because of those challenges. Sometimes life can be tough and cause us to experience heat like that from the sun. And our goal is never to come out on the other side so hard that we are no longer flexible. Still, in order for us to be molded and reshaped, we are required to go through the deep heat of the furnace.

It is only through the heat in the furnace that the clay can become porcelain.

PRAYER: Father, may I always be moldable, never becoming so hard that You cannot work with me.

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isaiah 64:8 NIV).

A View From Above

By Jarrod Spencer –

Recently I had the opportunity to take a trip halfway across the United States by air. Several years had gone by since I had flown. On this trip, I had a window seat each way. On the initial flight, I could see down to the ground. I couldn’t help but notice how small everything looked from that altitude.

I don’t know how high we were flying above sea level, but I knew it was well above 10,000 feet because at that height they turn on the Wi-Fi.

As I am looking out the window and noticing how small things were, I couldn’t see a single person who was outside. They were simply too small. This made me wonder that if I cannot see them, of what importance are they?

Of course, everyone has value and I was thinking sarcastically. I was trying to put myself in God’s position as I was looking down. If I couldn’t see anyone, He could. He can see each and every one of us, no matter if we are outside or inside. He cares for us from our “nose to our toes.” As simple as that seems, it is a powerful motivator. Having someone care for us, fully and wholly, is what each one of us craves.

Just because I could not see people from that distance doesn’t mean they didn’t exist. In all actuality, they do exist. They existed in droves and each person was important. They are important to God. You were one of those I couldn’t see. You are one of those people who are important to God.

Enjoy life by knowing you are not a “number” and greatly matter to God. I know it gives me goose bumps! May you have a new spring in your step by knowing you matter to God!

PRAYER: Loving Father, thank You for making me such a priority in your “day.” May I never forget how important I am to You. Thanks for making me important!

“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV).

« Previous Page — Next Page »