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Lessons in Proverbs
1 of 2

Proverbs 14:12, 15:19, 16:18, 20:30, 27:12
By J.D. Griffith

“Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways”. (Proverbs 20:30).

We’re all human; we all fail at times. Amid a chain of victories, a setback is an unwelcome fact, but it will come to everyone. And not just once. We are all growing. Some people grow wiser, some just in age. Maturity comes one day at a time. The ones who are growing in wisdom know how to turn every failure into a learning experience—a stepping stone to future success.

Failure comes from many reasons—some of which are not in our control. Here are five causes of failure:

Plan Ahead. “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.” This old saying comes out of “A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them.” Noah’s neighbors didn’t understand why he had to build an ark. “Rain, what’s that?”

Don’t split your pants. Pride bursts more than buttons off a shirt when a person gets too big for his britches. “Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance leads to downfall.” Remain humble, even when others praise you. You’re not “all that!”

Take necessary risks. We fail when we don’t try. Fear of failure leads to being a loser. “Fear of man is a dangerous trap.” God leads us into risks, and some are golden opportunities. He’s our safety net when we walk out on a limb. (Taking chances when obeying Him.) God never promised us smooth sailing, but He did promise us a safe landing.

Don’t stop too soon! Often success is—just around the corner. Often a game is won in the final seconds. A postage stamp sticks until reaching its destination. “A lazy man has trouble all through life.”
Follow God’s advice. The Bible is the owner’s manual for life.
It is packed with instructions and guidelines in all areas of living. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Failure is never final unless you give in to it.


Take Home Nugget
The next succeeding devotion will give insights for starting over—how to flip failure into success. Never despair with failure; it’s a way to grow. Some of us have grown more than we could have imagined!