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“Few things kill pride faster than failure!”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2014-09-02) from his book, The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible (p. 249). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

How do you feel after you’ve failed?  You feel miserable but what you do after failure is the key to having a dream realized. 

As Mark says, “Few things kill pride faster than failure! And that’s the point. God doesn’t want to kill the dream He’s given you, but He does want to crucify anything that would keep Him from getting all of the glory when you ultimately succeed.” 

He also says, “When God takes something away from us, it doesn’t always mean that He takes it away forever. In fact, God often takes things away with the express purpose of giving them back. And when He does, we’re able to see the miracle for what it is. If you’ve lost love and found it again, you know whereof I speak. The same is true of health and wealth. It’s much more difficult to take the blessing for granted.”

As 1 Peter 5-6 (NCV) says, “God is against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.   Be humble under God’s powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes.” 

I was just thinking of a time that I was feeling like a total failure.  I had been engaged and I had blown it.  And it really hurt.  I wasn’t sure if I ever was going to have another chance. 

When I was going through such pain there was another verse in 1 Peter 5 that I said over and over and it brought so much comfort to me.  Verse 7 (KJV) says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  And I will celebrate next week the realization of the fact that He cares for me with my 40th anniversary to being with my wife, Margaret.  The best gift that He has given me a part from Himself.

He wants to give us so much more than we could ever dream of because He cares about us but He also wants to have the credit.  Is it because He needs it?  No.  It’s because we need to give it.

So what are you trying to do on your own?

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