MAKING THE BEST OUT OF OUR FAILURES

In the presence of God, there is fullness of joy. On this note I welcome you to this blog. As you join me in exploring the world of possibilities, permit me to go spiritual today because it is from the spiritual that the physical transcends. In the scriptures; gospel of Luke(5:1-11). Where Jesus was at the lake of Gennesaret with the crowd pressing round him. Further into this passage we would come across the event which was the centre of this passage of the bible. There were some fishermen in person of Simon Peter, James and John(Sons of Zebedee) who were Simons’ partners. They have been in the cold on the water all night trying to catch fish; so as to be able to feed their families. Simon Peter and his companions had done their best. They had fished all night but had caught nothing; all their time and effort had been for nothing. They were now tired and dispirited as they watched their nets.

It is possible to do ones best, yet at the end of the day (or night) to have nothing to show for it, nothing really but weariness, anguish, and wounds. One might study hard for an exam, yet not get the desired results. One might work hard, I mean really dedicated to his/her job in a company, yet he/she is not recognized or commended. One might play ones heart out, yet lose the match. One might do ones best to be a good parent, yet a child goes wrong. Jesus did not blame Peter and his companions. But he didn’t encourage them to bask in the euphoria of self-pity either. Nor did he allow them to rest in failure. He challenged them to try again: “Launch out into the deep, and let down our net for a catch”.

According to the words of the great scholar; Emerson: he said: “Each of us have a greater possibility”. There is in each of us a chamber, or a closet that has never been opened. If we are to realise this “greater possibility”, we need to be challenged to go beyond ourselves, beyond what we think we are capable of, what we have settled for, and most especially beyond what we think our neighbours can do for us. Nobody is an Island of knowledge. Life is a school where every student keeps learning.

Imagine a mechanic from across the road goes to a tailor’s shop and begins to dish out instructions to the Tailor on how to measure a cloth, will the tailor welcome him? No, he may even abuse him saying he does not know what he is talking about. The same will happen if a farmer tried to tell a mason how to go about his work.
A nurse would be very surprised, and probably annoyed too, if a market woman tells her how to give injections. And a Typist would not agree to be advised by a hairdresser. This is how things are, each work has its skills. In this passage of the scriptures, we saw a carpenter who is also a preacher dishing out instructions and advising a fisherman how to go about his job. Put yourself in the fisherman’s shoe, how would you react? That is to show that failure is not falling down, but staying down. The person who can draw strength from failure is quite rare. Jesus called the apostles not to serve him, but to serve others.

In conclusion, I urge you today, never let your disappointment materialise into self pity because surely if it does, you are on the verge of failing. See your Disappointment as Encouragement. Failure is nothing but an assurance of being able to succeed. See your Failure as stepping stone to excel in life. Nothing good comes cheap, little wonder the rose flower, as lovely as it is; is surrounded with thorns.

Until I come your way again to fulfil my promise with you, keep living your dreamz.