Bryan Henderson, Executive Assistance at Anchor, shares a recent experience where God taught him how to fail well.
Last month I attended a highly-anticipated meeting with the State Government’s office to inquire about using one of their buildings as an Anchor Church gathering space, as we have outgrown our current premises.
The only problem is that I turned up at the wrong time and missed the meeting. I was absolutely devastated!!!
This is usually area of strength for me. I’m often told how great I am at organising these sorts of meetings and at negotiating to successfully achieve desired outcomes.
In reflecting on why it devastated me so much, I came to the conclusion that I place way too much value and significance in my strengths and giftings. These things had subtly began to define me and the feelings that resulted from me failing in this way illustrated this reality. Tim Keller says that when good things become ultimate things, they become idols that need to be displaced so that Jesus retains the right place in our hearts.
I often think that my greatest strengths are character traits that I possess, but this experience reminded me what my greatest strength truly is (and also my greatest weakness). My greatest strength is to remember that I am in Christ and I am His treasured possession. My greatest weakness is to fail to remember the gospel and its daily implications in my life.
How does failing in an area of perceived strength affect you? And why does it affect you that way? Thoughts to chew on!