Text: Romans 8:35-39
Memory verse:
”Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.“
Psalms 34:19 NKJV
Do you know that it’s not true that most people succeed in life because they have good families or good Christian background, born into wealthy families, have more opportunities, or had little or no life difficulties? While these may contribute but there is something so important that we often neglect.
Abraham had idolatry background, experienced very difficult times and even goofed, when he went down to Egypt and lied about his wife. What about Jacob, Moses, Rahab, David, Peter, Matthew, Paul, and so forth?
What then is this determining factor? Attitude! Your attitude will determine how you will approach life day to day.
Your attitude, more than your aptitude, will determine your altitude.
Our Lord Jesus said, ”These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”“
(John 16:33). It means it is not the absence of troubles, difficulties, distresses, challenges, setbacks, or suffering that will give you a leading edge in this world but your perspective and your response to them. It also means that difficult times or failures are unavoidable and common.
Failures in life actually happen because most believers are not prepared for such challenges. Our environments and educational systems have only reinforced our wrong beliefs and expectations about failure. We have been taught to believe that difficulties or failures are the proofs of God’s disfavour or sin. Children have been brought up to believe that failure is an event, that having an F grade in a subject makes one a failure. No, failure is not an event but a process.
If someone would have regarded himself as an utter failure, it should have been apostle Paul. With all the disappointments and difficulties, he still regarded himself as ‘more than a conqueror’! What an attitude!
Now, the question is not if you will have problems but how you are going to handle the problems. Remember that you are not a failure until you stop looking beyond the failure and start taking steps to correct your mistakes.
Friends, if failures, troubles, and difficulties are certain and common, it’s wise to train yourself and your children to prepare for them rather than closing your eyes to those realities.
Prayer points
1. Father, please, teach me how to prepare for the failure and troubles of life in Jesus’ name.
2. I stand against the lies of the devil, and I purge my mind of every wrong belief and expectation about failure in Jesus’ name.
Today’s declarations
1. I look beyond life’s failures and troubles into the bright future.
2. My preparation for and my response to failure and troubles will determine my success in life.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng