In the Process of Succeeding

March 6, 2008

By James Fields

The four Gospels show us the twelve apostles periodically stumbling through life from one failure to another. Yes, they did some things right, but the Gospel record is very honest about their failures.

Consider their actions at the Last Supper, a time when you would expect them to be on their best

Then we turn to Acts and see the apostles racing from success to success.

“The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people” (Acts 5:12).

Why such a contrast between the Gospel narratives and the Acts record? Certainly, the empowering baptism in the Holy Spirit is a key. But I think God also portrayed this contrast in order to show us we all are in the process of succeeding.

We tend to call ourselves a failure when we fail. Apparently, God looks at us very differently. Jesus never referred to the apostles as “failures.” He was there when they failed, but He never referred to them as “failures.” Jesus understood that failing does not make you a failure!

The act of failing simply proves you are moving along in life and not yet dead. Dead people are only ones who never fail. Living people commit individual acts of failing without becoming failures.

Jesus sees your life as a process, and a process takes time to complete. The process is never destroyed by an event we call “failure.” “Failure” may slow things down or equip us to avoid making the same mistake again.

The apostles’ successes actually depended upon them overcoming their failures. For the child of God, failing serves as a step toward succeeding.

Refuse to ever call yourself a “failure.” When you commit your life to Christ, God is on your side and escorting you through life. In Him, you are always in the process of succeeding.

— James and Delores Fields are veteran Assemblies of God pastors and former missionaries. They founded Comfort and Encouragement Ministries in 1997.