A Sunday Thought About Failure in God's hands to Start the Week Off Right

While most of us prefer success, it's the rare person who hasn't experienced some share of failure. We may not like it when we fail, but it's not uncommon to learn a good lesson or two that leads to future success. But while turning failure into success can be one of our most satisfying experiences in life, most of us wouldn't go so far as to say we "love" failure.

It seems, though, that God does love failure. Let's follow along as Archbishop Alban Goodier, S.J. explains why:

    “‘The Kingdom of God is within you.’ – Does not this emphatically declare that for each individual soul the conquest of the world for Jesus Christ consists, first and foremost, and for many perhaps entirely, in the conquest of one’s own self? As each star is a world in itself, so is each individual soul a kingdom in itself, and that little kingdom is the only one which it can thoroughly conquer; when it has done that, it has done its chief part in the conquest of the rest of mankind.

    “A man may do nothing noticeable in the eyes of other men; he may even fail in everything he may try to do; and yet his life, his conquest of himself and his own little kingdom, may mean more for the rooting of the kingdom of Christ upon earth than the life of one who has been conspicuous. It is God who gives the increase, and He alone; as Nicodemus wisely said, anything that is merely of man will certainly in the end come to nothing. Far better is it, for the spread of the kingdom that shall be permanent, to secure that the service of the King in one’s own little kingdom shall be perfect, that to waste energy on that which may be more conspicuous, but for whose lasting effect we have no security whatever.

    “How often do God’s dealings with us confirm this perspective! We long to do something for Him, and He seems to thwart us at every turn. He will sacrifice what seems to us His own interests, that the individual soul may be perfected instead by the failure. He will refuse to allow a soul to do or to attain that for which its little human nature yearns, that it may give itself to that which is more pleasing to Him, and which in time He, not I, will put to better count.

    “This is why He loves failure; this is why failure in His hands is success.”

So much of our drive to succeed focuses on worldly success. Doesn't it? But as you get ready for another week at work, think about Archbishop Goodier's words. They raise the bar from this world straight to God. As you legitimately pursue success in your work this week, just remember that if and when failure pays you a visit, rather than grind your teeth and howl, "Woe is me!," your failure rests gently in God's Hand, ready to be turned lovingly into success.