FAILURE

Failure comes to us for many reasons. As Proverbs tells us, it may come from laziness. It may arise from a lack of preparedness. It may come also from a lack of experience. Or it may come from working outside of our area of giftedness--trying to do what we were not created to be or do.

This week, I have had this feeling of failure. In Bible school, I have been working behind the scenes, attempting to run the sound and media system--not my area of expertise. Attempting to run a DVD player and a computer, moving from CD to DVD to MP3 to PowerPoints. And doing it all at another church from mine--with a sound system I am very unfamiliar with. (By the way, in the past, I have tried NOT to know much about the sound system. I have felt at my own church, there are other things I am called to do, and that is not one of them. (See Acts 6, where the apostles had a different calling from waiting on tables, so others were selected to serve in that area.) Whew! I appreciate greatly the guys who do this at our church.

Each evening, there has been some major snafu during our opening exercises. The PowerPoint didn't come up, or the music would not play (CD in DVD player), or moving from one to another, something was not found. The "behind-the-scenes" job has been unfortunately in the forefront, as everyone has been waiting for the technology and they have had to "adapt" and change the plan due to all of this. Very frustrating for me (and them) and very embarrassing. Not to mention--God's best has not been accomplished for the kids.

Failure--feelings of failure--feelings of embarrassment and disappointment--feelings of failing God and others.

I am reminded in Ephesians 4 that there are many different people gifted to serve God's purposes and ministry. Each is gifted in different ways. I am reminded from 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 that people are given "spiritual gifts differing." I am reminded in 1 Peter 4:10 ff., that "each is given a spiritual gift, to be used in the body of Christ and to benefit others.

Often our world is very specialized. And yet, a small church pastor is called to be a generalist in a specialist world. He is to be knowledgeable of many things. He is expected to be good at everything (but no one is good at everything--nor apparently from the Scriptures, were we meant to be). I have my strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else. In a large church, the pastors can specialize more than in the small church. But that is where the equipping comes in--helping others learn to find their gift in ministry. In large or small church, God calls every person to find their niche in serving God--and pastors are to be equipping others to find and perform their ministry.

Failure may come as we attempt something outside our gifting. Failure may come with lack of knowledge. Those are some reasons for failure.

How does one find his or her "niche"? By attempting--by trying on hats and seeing whether they fit. That is one way. What are you interested in? What do you do well? How are you wired? (By God, by the way--He made us the way we are).

One major way of failing though is when we do not try--when we do not attempt. There is an old saying, "Fail to plan and you plan to fail." Another one from that would be "Fail to attempt and you will fail as well." The one who fails most is the one who never tries.

Seek to discover your gifting. Seek to find the way God wired you. Try something new. Try something challenging. Listen to believing friends you trust who may be able to see something in you that you don't see in yourself.

But also realize that in many areas, we can grow in our knowledge and expertise. A gift may be our gift, but just need more experience. So give the attempt some time--some experience, before you cross it off your list as "not my gift."

"I do not like green eggs and ham. ... "Try it, try it, and you may. ... I do SO like green eggs and ham. I do so like them. Sam I am." (Thanks to Dr. Seuss)

So why do you fail? Could it be because you've never really tried?

(By the way, I think next year, I will find another way to serve in Bible school and leave the media to those technologically experienced and gifted.)