As an observer of times and life, it has become apparent to me that men are not prepared to survive failures.
Don’t misunderstand me; men are endowed with great strength and resilience and can recover from just about anything, but not many are prepared for this almost inevitability.
Our very extensive education system is programmed on the assumption that everyone will progress through it without failure. Our careers are programmed on the same assumption. Our business schools spend so many hours examining case studies and reviewing businesses, teaching principles for success, but I doubt there is a course designed to equip these budding business leaders with tools to cope with the stress of failure.
Yet less than five percent of start-up businesses make it past the first five years. People get married with the assumption that they will live happily ever after; then there is a financial stress, infidelity, barrenness, and whatever else the world throws at them; some survive, some fail, but most find it hard to come back.
History is replete with failures. But by the grace of God, you will not become one of the statistics of failure.
Abandoned dreams. Abandoned lives. Abandoned people and people who abandon themselves. Abandoned projects.
Yet, there is one truth worthy of consideration:
if you don’t give up, you will eventually succeed.
“For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again…” – Proverbs 24:16
Today, I want to encourage someone out there. This disaster. This failure. This setback. This bereavement. This collapse. This whatever it may be, is not the end of your life or the end of the road. It may be a bad bump, but the road continues and your story is about to change.
The best things in life tend to come out of some of the worst situations in life. You can make it back. You can recover. You will recover if you do not give up. The bible tells us that underneath are the everlasting arms of God. It is not possible to fall below God’s loving arms. Right now, you have just fallen into His eternal hands and He will take you right back up. Believe me, you will Bounce Back UP!
“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
Who rides the heavens to help you,
And in His excellency on the clouds.
27 The eternal God is your refuge,
And underneath are the everlasting arms; Deuteronomy 33: 26-28.
Let us pray: Father God, thank you that with you it’s really never over. You are eternal and you are unlimited in your power and strength. Father, please help me not to give up. Help me to see that I can make it back with your help and grace. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Ps. The message today has been adapted from my book “Bounce Back Up!” Please find below links to the kindle e-book version and the video developed to let you have a feel of the book.
For those in the UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BWCLB0C
For those in the States and other locations: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BWCLB0C
I pray you will bounce back up.
PCA