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Fail Forward: Rebounding Effectively

A Setback Is A Setup For A Comeback, part 2 of 2
When we fail, it is important that we respond to failure in ways that help us get back up, because failure is never final with God. How do we rebound from a failure? We’ll examine the most common reasons we fail and pass on some of the most effective ways to use failure as a stepping stone to success (like the principles of perspective, perseverance, patience, procurement and presence). Failure is really a trampoline to jump on for success.

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I) FIVE FAST FACTS ON FAILURES IN LIFE

FACT #1) At various times ___EVERYBODY FAILS___.

FACT #2) People who fail are not necessarily ___FAILURES___.

FACT #3) Sometimes we fail ___OUT OF NECESSITY___.

FACT #4) Other times we fail ___UNNECESSARILY___.

FACT #5) We get to choose ___MOST OF THE WAYS WE FAIL___.

II) FIVE FAITHFUL WAYS TO ‘FAIL FORWARD’

Lessons Learned From Famous “Failures” Who Rebounded Effectively

1) When you fail, ___DON’T TRY TO COVER IT UP FALSELY___.

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband…and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves… and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
(Genesis 3:6-8, NIV) (see Genesis 3:21)

2) When you fail, ___ACKNOWLEDGE IT TO GOD QUICKLY___.

“Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man!… Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes?… Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan replied, ‘The Lord has taken away your sin.’”
(2 Samuel 12:7,9,13, NIV) (see Psalm 51)

3) When you fail, __LOOK TO OTHERS FOR WISDOM HUMBLY__.

“The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people,and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all thatMoses was doing for the people, he said, ‘What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?… You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out…select capable men…appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens… but have them bring every difficult cases to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves.’”
(Exodus 18:13-14,18,21-22, NIV)

4) When you fail, __GET UP AND GIVE UP SO YOU CAN GO UP__.

“Mary Magdalene came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him!’ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.”
(John 20:2-3, NIV)

“The third time [Jesus] said to [Simon Peter], ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’”
(John 20:17, NIV)

5) When you fail, ___REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST CONSTANTLY___.

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
(Hebrews 12:1b-3, NIV)