When I was in college, a requirement for graduating with a psychology degree was conducting research and writing a fairly lengthy report. Though I wasn't walking with the Lord, adoration for children drove me to keep my job as a pre-school teacher while carrying a heavy school schedule. I decided to do my research paper on the 35 four-year old's in my pre-school and designed a study entitled "Learned Helplessness."I divided the kids by gender and gave each of them an "impossible" task which they had to complete in order to get a reward. They were given 3 different puzzles that had a few pieces that did not fit. The boys responses were aggressive and violent. By the 3rd puzzle, they were angry and frustrated, throwing the puzzle on the ground, breaking pieces, or hitting things with their fist. The girls would end up crying or sulking, usually giving up after the 2nd puzzle and ignoring the 3rd. The 4th puzzle was designed to be extremely easy and they would be able to complete it successfully...if they tried.
I wish I remember exactly how many persevered and finished the fourth puzzle, but there were only a few. (Please don't worry about what happened to the kids-they were told at the end about the puzzles, given rewards and reinforced to the approval of "self-esteem" professors at the university.)
Repeated situations where success was impossible caused anger and emotional outbursts to some, while others became so discouraged they quit trying all together. Difficult marriage problems? Conflicts with teenagers? Employer never satisfied? Past attempts to serve the Lord brought heavy discouragement? Past financial mistakes? Failure...don't we hate that word?
I was talking with someone not long ago who had to shut down the family business. They loved the Lord and honored Him in every aspect of their business, but by having to close the doors and losing an extensive amount of money from their hard-earned savings, "failure" was stamped across their heart. More like...engraved deeply. How much tenacity and perseverance they have for future endeavors, only God knows. But I do believe this about our God.
There are no "failures" in the family of God. Once we're adopted He has stamped across our hearts "conqueror." Rom. 8:37 "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." He redeems our mistakes, bad decisions, detours, or circumstances that the "world" calls failure, with an aim to use it for a great testimony for His own glory and our eternal good. Sometimes, we've brought problems upon ourselves by acting out of the will of God....and in that, the Word says " Heb. 12:11-13 "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed." The Lord is a faithful Father-our responsibility is to be trained by our mistakes. If we learn from them, He has promised to heal us and bring spiritual fruit from our lives with peace.
At other times, when there has been no fault of our own but we seem to be met with failure on every side, but the Lord has promised, Rom. 8:28 "And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Whether we see it or not, understand it or not, God has a plan. Jer. 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." The world's measurements of success and failure is never God's standard. The way others view our lives, even Christians, is infinitely limited in sight or purpose. Whether mother, father, spouse, friend or foe have been disappointed in their expectations of you, the Lord is committed to you for a lifetime in love and support and failing is not a part of His vocabulary unless you forsake Him. Deu. 31:8 "And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."
No matter what has happened in your world, don't give up. Of all the things to learn, don't learn how to be helpless. Persevere. Be tenacious. You're more than a conqueror THROUGH Christ who strengthens you. Continue forward despite numerous setbacks. You have a Bible filled with promises that GOD will never fail to fulfill. Hear Him cheering for you?
Ps 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
Rom. 8:31 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"
