Second Chances - Looking for the One That Has Failed

We are afraid of failure

LinkedIn article, “What’s Your Greatest Fear in Life? 65 Brave Answers from People in 18 Countries” - 10 samples

1. “My greatest fear would be missing out on my purpose here on earth. Whether it’s because I wasn’t motivated enough to pursue dreams, or distracted with life in general, I know I have a purpose that I am not yet serving.” – Danielle, Sacramento (USA)
2. “Being a failure and disappointment to others and myself.” – Kate, Yeppoon, (Australia)
3. “My greatest fear is that I will never be enough.” – Jo, Salisbury (UK)
4. “I’m scared I will make the wrong decisions in life.” – Reka, Sydney
5. “My biggest fear is making a mistake and looking stupid.” – Destiny, Tucson
6. “Fear of failure – particularly paralyzing is the fear of not taking the perfect next step.” – Mike, Plano (USA)
7. “My greatest fear is letting my family friends and employees down.” – Pam, Bangalore (India)
8. “My greatest fear is that I will never feel fulfilled or at peace with my career decision.” – Emily, Baton Rouge (USA)
9. Starting my own business. I fear that I will not have what it takes to do it, that I will be a failure.” – Susanne, Uppsala (Sweden)
10. “My greatest fear is to be “found out” – that people around me will discover that I’ve only been pretending to be smart, strong and confident but really am not any of those things.” – Nora, New Jersey (USA)
    

In life, it is through our failures that we learn the best lessons

What are some of your failures in life?

We’re afraid of failure but our best lessons come from our failures.

Why should our spiritual journey with God be any different?

People live spiritually defeated lives – they’ve failed and are afraid to come back to God.

How does God view us in our failure? How would Jesus respond to your failure?

Peter’s Failure

“ “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
Luke 22:31-34

“Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” If that was the last we heard of Peter how do you think the rest of his life would have gone?

But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Luke 22:54-62

If that was the last we heard of Peter how do you think the rest of his life would have gone?

How Jesus Responds to Peter’s Failure

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “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 21:15-17

Jesus gives Peter another chance.

God is the God of second chances

Some people stay defeated in life, they’ve let God down and think they can’t go back

At some point you need to ask yourself:
Have you been defeated? Or did you experience a defeat?

How does Jesus respond to your failure?

“I wasn’t holding you up so there’s nothing I can do to let you down” – The Song Jireh

God will turn your failure into glory for His name.
He will mold you, mature you, and work through you in greater ways than before if you simply come back to Him.

You are not a failure

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1:5

Looking for the One Who has Failed – 2 Simple Applications

1. If you have failed – come back. God wants you home.
2. Use your failure for the glory of God by inviting others to their second chance with God