Sunday Gathering: Discussion on Failure

At Spirit of Truth's Sunday Gathering today, Grant introduced the discussion topic after referring to this video:



For those of you who don't have the time to watch, the argument is simple:

Failure happens.  We can either admit it and continue working towards our goal with a fresh perspective on what went wrong, repair mistakes, adjust our viewpoints and actually accomplish something...
or
we can pretend it didn't happen, or try to make excuses -which could lead to us making the same mistakes again, or cause us to limit the scope of our ambition unnecessarily.

There are some thought provoking stories within that video, but the last line really strikes me
"Has _________ failed? For me YES, but only because it hasn't failed enough."

During our One to One discussions we talked about our own failures without making excuses, without trying to redeem them by saying "but I learned ___"  just to admit failure, to be comfortable with it.
To recognize that we are loved, good, capable people without having to make up for every failure.

An exercise in liberation. Liberation from our own self doubt, and from believing that the world (and God) actually holds a grudge against us, actually believes we are worthless because of our failures...
its just not true.

Grant spoke about the ancestors and their liberation from Egypt, whereupon they spent 40 years wandering in the desert. 40 years to make a journey that should take a week or two.

Over my years hearing this story I have heard all types of explanations for the 40 years:

-punishment by God
-simply being lost
-poor leadership
-apathy
-preparation for war
-preparation by God (of the land)

or the one Grant offered

-preparation of the people, of the community to be worthy of the land


It took the Hebrews a lifetime of wandering, of failing repeatedly, admitting failures and staying focused on the vision ahead to make it.

Will we spend our lives hiding our failures and continually lowering the bar till we can make it
Or
Keep our eyes on a bigger prize, recognize what hasn't worked and try again?