Why Faith is more powerful than Failure
Everyone has setbacks, detours, and diversions in life. This doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with us. Setbacks are inevitable; the difference maker is how we handle them. If we allow failure to define us, setbacks can mean the end. If we allow Faith to define us, we have access to a supernatural level of help. This is because God responds to faith not failure. We often respond to our failure first. Instead, let faith define you in your hardest moments.
The key to overcoming; even the most intense setbacks is to hold onto faith. This is how Jesus responds to Simon Peter during a challenge.
“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.”
One of the ways the word “sift” can be defined is: an inward agitation designed to overthrow your faith. The enemy understands that without faith we become ineffective – so it becomes His main target. The word ‘fail’ in the verse comes from the same word that means ‘eclipse.’
Do not allow setbacks to overshadow your greatest strength!
Case Study:
Recently, I was in Dallas to look at projects and finish my audiobook. As soon as I landed I learned that the property I had been purchasing had caught on fire. It was supposed to close escrow the next day. The broker told us it was a minor kitchen fire; however, it was way worse with 2-units completely burned down to the ground and 4-units were severely affected. This was the first setback.
Secondly, the night before I was scheduled to finish recording my audiobook I received a call. A long-standing team member had quit. I had 16 hours to finish the audiobook and my mind was overwhelmed with distractions. I felt under pressure and worried.
In the first 8-hour session of recording I was way behind schedule. I only recorded a third of the book. Every hour I found myself checking emails and texts. I had hundreds of them flooding in and it caused a lot of anxiety for me.
The shadow of setbacks was trying to eclipse my faith, I knew it.
I went back to the hotel that night and cried out to God – “God I need your help!” he first thought that came to mind was, “Tomorrow you need to shut your phone off and don’t turn it back on until you are finished.”
It wasn’t a complicated thing for me to do, so the next morning I got up early to pray. I prayed on my way to the studio and the moment I got to there, I made sure my phone was off and I left it in the car.
I was able to finish the remaining 2/3 of the audiobook in 7-hours! Unlike the day before, I was only able to finish 1/3 of the recording in 8-hours.
Practically I needed to redefine the moment in faith. I needed to get rid of the noise. So often we experience resistance when we answer the call of God on our lives; that is to be expected. The noise of distraction can compete with God’s voice in our lives. I have a sticky note posted on my computer that says, “It’s all noise.” Re-assess, Re-align, and Re-calibrate your ear to God. Do not let the setbacks overshadow your faith.
Practical steps to guard your faith during a setback:
- Remember that Jesus is praying for you. That is a powerful thought!
- Do not give inward agitations the power to overthrow what God has called you to.
- Eliminate noise and distractions.
- Do not allow your focus to become yourself. Look unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of your faith.
