Failure. It’s a heavy word and one we all avoid. Living with a fear of failure means we tiptoe around uncertainty. It creates hesitations in making bold declarations or taking strong steps forward. Every day, failure looms over us like the ever-changing forecast of Texas weather in the spring. But God.

The Bible doesn’t hide the failures of God’s people. 

Consider Peter – he denied Jesus three times before his crucifixion, failing to stand by the Messiah during persecution. Yet, after the resurrection, Jesus restored Peter. Not in condemnation, but in love and with grace. 

Peter’s moment of weakness ultimately led him to experience a greater boldness in Christ that would drive his remaining years proclaiming the gospel. 

Fearing failure is most frequently born from a belief that our successes and failures are tied to our worth or value. However, Romans 8:1 reminds us, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

God’s love isn’t based on actions. It’s rooted in His unchanging character, not our results.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul recalls Christ saying to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul goes on to say, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

We have assurance our failures are merely a platform for God’s grace, mercy, love and strength to shine. 

In our humanity, it is easy to see failure as final. The gospel is evidence it is not. Because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, no sin or failure is too big to affect eternal life with God. We are shown time and time again that God will use our missteps, our hurts and our failures to bring him glory. 

The fear of failure only keeps us from experiencing a deeper, bolder, stronger relationship with Christ. We will always be met with sufficient grace from a loving God. 

Written by Kayla Salzman, public relations manager for Buckner International