My dear friends,

Life is sometimes filled with trying, circumstances beyond our control. We can never tell when we will be affected or when the demands of work or the pressures of family life will bear heavily upon us. There are times when we become so overwhelmed with pain or sorrow that we feel as though a ton of bricks had fallen on us.

But friends, we are living in a broken world and every person is a target for failure. We are a vulnerable people, subjected to depressing and debilitating situations which at times may result in suffering, disappointment and hurt. Consequently, like the captain of a vessel, we must learn to make adjustments that will enable us to manoeuvre the ship of life against the changing tides. No two persons are alike, but the way we react or respond to life sends a powerful message of who we are and of what we are made. Everyone gets knocked down, however what counts most is how swiftly we get up – how quickly we rise! One writer, Verla Gilmore says: Failure teaches us things we can’t learn any other way … treat it as a visitor allowed to deliver unpleasant news, but don’t let it take up residence.”

It is fair to say that there are different levels of failure and I might even be a little controversial in saying that failures are not failures unless we allow them to be.   A student may not score enough marks in mathematics that would merit him a pass. We conclude that he failed maths, which is true since he did not satisfy the examiner that he knew enough about the subject matter.   A wise student, however, would grasp the opportunity to find out his weaknesses and improve on them – by examining and adjusting his time management, by critically analysing his slate of activities he would be able to eliminate activities that are unnecessary.   This process would assist in growth and maturity as well as helping him to become a better and more productive person.

There is need for us to examine our failures and weigh them according to their importance in the overall scheme of things.   By doing so failure might lose its power to undermine our confidence. Therefore, we should never succumb and allow it to retard our progress, but rather use it as a motivating factor. It can teach us what’s important while stimulating the desire to exert more effort to become achievers.

Simon Peter the Apostle of Jesus is a biblical personality we may consider initially to be a failure. He always got in trouble with his master and eventually denied him three times. However, with the assistance of Jesus and his determination to examine his weaknesses, and rise above his humiliating circumstances he was able with one sermon to win more than three thousand persons for Christ. My friends, failure is a heavy yoke which we do not have to wear unless we choose to.

                   The Very Rev. Rudolph Smithen.

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