Fear of Failing

I know that failure is an excellent teacher. So many times people will say that "failure is not an option" but it most certainly is. We will fail at some point and can choose to learn from it or to ignore the potential lesson and find ourselves doomed to repeat the same mistakes. I've learned a great deal from my personal failures and from observing the failures of those around me. 

I don't discount those learning opportunities, but will also readily admit that I fear failure in some circumstances. I fear disappointing my wife by not being the man she believes that I am. I fear failing my children by damaging them so severely that it impairs their future relationships and ability to cope effectively. I have a fear of failing my daughters by not preparing them effectively for their future. I fear failure in ministry by missing an opportunity to provide the truth of the Gospel to someone who is desperately receptive to it. I fear failing by disappointing the people in my life that are important to me.

While I can learn to embrace certain types of personal failure as an opportunity for growth, there are other areas of failure that motivate me to keep doing the right thing each day. Learning from one and avoiding the other keep us humble and focused on what is right.