{7 keys} being emotionally whole .6

Read Key 1 here 

Read Key 2 here

Read Key 3 here

Read Key 4 here
Read Key 5 here

KEY 6:

Let Past Failures Go

There is an old saying that goes, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." I have another version of that saying, "If at first you don't succeed, you've now discovered that you are average." We will all fail on occasions, but how are we to handle failure?

A part of receiving God's forgiveness is forgiving yourself. Once God has forgiven you, you have no claim to your past sins, failures, or weaknesses. You are a new creature in Christ Jesus!

Each time you dwell on your past failures and errors, you are closing, to a certain degree, your heart and mind to the current and furture blessing that God has for you. Force yourself to think instead of the many ways God has helped you and blessed you. Anytime you find yourself reflecting on past failures, remind yourself that God has delivered you from sin. You have been saved by Christ Jesus. You are forgiven!

Then turn your mind to the positive things that God has done for you, in you, and through you. Start praising Him for His goodness rather than dwelling on the past. 

Theodore Roosevelt said, "The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything." Edison spent more than $100,000 to obtain 6,000 different fiber speicments, and only three of them proved satisfactory. Each failure brought him that much closer to the solution to his problem. His friend Henry Ford was right when he said that failure was the "opportunity to begin again, more intelligently." Learn from your failures, but don't dwell on them!

Helpful Scriptures: Psalm 97:9-12 & Lamentations 3:40-41

written by Dr. Mike Rouse

Mountain View Baptist Church

used by permission

My Pastor writes a short article for our Sunday bulletin every week [and has for many years]. Currently, he is writing a series on Being Emotionally Whole, and I wanted to share it with you during the next few weeks. My posting these articles is not my Pastor's endorsement of my blog. All  opinions and thoughts expressed [unless otherwise noted, as here] are purely my own [and my family's] and not specifically affiliated with my church.