Yes, You Are a Failer, but You Are Not a Failure

Some of the most well-known biblical characters failed miserably, yet God turned their story around, forgave them, and used them in mighty ways.

Think about Paul, who was zealous for what he believed and went so far as to persecute and even kill some Christians. When he saw the light (literally) and embraced Christ as his Savior, he felt shame and remorse, yet God forgave and used him.

What about Peter? This faithful disciple denied knowing Jesus at His trial. Nevertheless, God reminded him after the Resurrection that He still had big plans for Peter.

Let me guess. You have failed God miserably in your lifetime. We probably don’t have to go back ten years either. How do I know this? I am a classic failer. I fail God early and often.

No, I haven’t robbed a bank or kicked a Girl Scout. I am pretty good (though not perfect) at trying to keep my public sins at a minimum. However, no one knows my heart like God and me, and He sees when I tolerate anger, bitterness, a lack of faith, judgmental attitudes, and so much more.

Every child of God can relate. Therefore, we need to regularly repent of our sins, confess them to God, and then forget them altogether.

Learn the art of forgetting

“I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,” (Philippians 3:13b, NLT)

The Apostle Paul sought to forget his past. Oh, he could have patted himself of the back for his past. Remember, he became one of the world’s most famous missionaries. He did great things for the Lord, but he chose to forget that and not rest on his former good works.

He also could have remembered the many times he failed the Lord in his life, but that would have discouraged him and kept him from attempting to step out in faith.

The past is over, and we must forget our victories as well as our failures. We only have the opportunity to serve the Lord today, and no one knows what tomorrow holds. So one day (and that could be today) will be our last day to serve the Lord.

In Hebrews 12:1–2, we are encouraged to look away from anything and everything else, and we are to fix our gaze upon Jesus.

If you have genuinely confessed your sin, you need to forgive yourself because God already has forgiven you.

Learn that God loves you

God forgets, or more literally, He chooses not to remember what you have done. Therefore, he will never hold our sins against us because He paid for them on the cross.

“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:12, NLT)

Isn’t it amazing that we can forget the things we want to remember and tend to remember the things we want to forget?

Unfortunately, when we blow it, we wonder how God could ever love us again, or we think of ourselves as second-class Christians. Nothing could be further from the truth. God had to remind Peter of this very thing, and He wants to remind you as well.

Confess your sins, forgive yourself, and serve God today. He has big plans for you.