The Successful Failure!

Published: Tue, 09/07/21

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth!

Hi ,

Success or failure is often a matter of perspective. If I had a specific goal in mind to produce a new DVD on a particular topic, and if I indeed complete the work and produce the DVD, it could be said that I was successful. However, the ultimate goal of making the DVD in the first place is two-fold: 1) To bless people who watch it, and 2) To sell them to help fund our ministry and the next DVD project. However, if I never sell any, then the project is essentially a failure.

Years ago, I developed a series of questions to help, not only me, but anyone who's trying to determine if they're on the right track (being successful) with their career. These are only a general guide:

1 - Is what we do consistent with God’s Word?

2 - Is this what our hearts really desire to do?

3 - Is this what we have been gifted by God to do?

4 - Do others confirm that this is our gift, or “calling”?

5 - Do others confirm that we’re doing a good job?

6 - Is the Lord enabling (providing for) us to do this?

7 - Is this ministry producing “fruit” (which is, after all, the goal)?

This is just a guide, and there could perhaps be more questions to add to this. But, someone who's very successful might not be able to answer all of these questions with a "yes". Consider the prophet, Jeremiah! He could answer "yes" to the first six questions, but a resounding "NO" to the last one!

If the goal of Jeremiah's ministry (through the reigns of FOUR kings!) was to turn the hearts of the people away from sin and back to God, he failed miserably. After the final disaster in Jerusalem, when he desperately told the few remaining people that God told them NOT to go back to Egypt, he failed miserably. They went. If the goal of his final ministry in Egypt was to turn the few refugees back to God there, having already proved to them that he had been right all along, he failed miserably!

And, think about this! After the fall of Jerusalem, the commander of the Chaldean army freed Jeremiah, and gave him the choice to go wherever he wanted. If he had chosen to go to Babylon, he would have been well taken care of for the rest of his life! But, he chose instead to continue his mission, probably knowing that sorrow and rejection would go hand-in-hand with that choice!

This poor man is rightly called "the weeping prophet". The Bible never records any type of success in his efforts to turn the people around. HOWEVER, in God's eyes, he was a resounding success! Not because he accomplished the desired result of his ministry, but that he was FAITHFUL in performing it! He obeyed to the last, though he never was able to see anything but rotten fruit.

This is my prayer, too. I want to be faithful, consistent, and obedient to the Lord. I want to pass the torch of God's truth on to the next generation. That's why the banner at the top says what it does!

In Christ,