A season of failure
Since I have become seriously focused on rebuilding my strength post-ministroke, I have learned many workout techniques. One of them is called “training to failure,” which means you repeat an exercise until the muscle no longer has strength to carry out that workload.
The other day, I did pushups to failure, and once my arm muscles were exhausted, no matter how much I wanted to, I could not will myself to push my body up anymore. I had nothing left in me, and I collapsed to the floor. Occasionally, training to failure is a good thing, because it makes your muscles stronger. When you push yourself to your limit, as hard as it is while you’re doing it, the more strength you will gain. If you never demand more of your muscles, they will never grow stronger.
In our walk of faith, God trains us to failure sometimes by allowing us to go through distressing seasons that leave us feeling depleted, weak and unable to go on. But where our strength, abilities and resources end, His begin. When we collapse, Psalm 145:14 NIV gives us an encouraging promise: “The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.”
Maybe there is an area of your life that has seemingly collapsed, and things are falling down around you. Sometimes our physical health collapses. Our finances collapse. Our relationships collapse. Our mental health collapses. Our job collapses. Our world collapses. We collapse and find ourselves on the floor, unable to will ourselves back up or put the pieces of our lives back together again.
If you are in a season of failure, pray this simple prayer in Jeremiah 17:14 MSG, which says, “God, pick up the pieces. Put me back together again.”
When you pray that prayer, be sure to pray it in all sincerity, and expect God to respond. He loves it when you call upon His name in the midst of trouble. After all, it is no surprise to God that you are in a season of failure, struggle, heartache and hardship. He is the One who allowed it, and He is also the One who provides strength in your hour of weakness.
“You have to know that when you are in a season of struggle, that is not the end of the story. God has more for you. Something better is coming after this!”
Recently, my son Kedar, my trainer, was helping me bench press weights. And he told me, “I want you to lift until you can’t lift anymore.” This was the very first time I had ever weight-trained to failure. So I lifted and lifted until my arms began shaking. And once my arms stopped mid-air and refused to budge, Kedar lifted the weights from my hands and gave me relief.
“How did you know I couldn’t go any further?” I asked him.
He said, “I watch you, and I know when you have reached failure. And when you do, I take the weights.”
God works like that too. He watches over you, and He knows when you have had all you can take. When it gets too hard, the Lord swoops in and lifts the weight and removes the heavy burden, so you won’t be crushed under the pressure.
If you are under pressure today, this word is for you. If you are in a season of failure, God has His eye on you. He understands your plight, and He won’t let you be destroyed under the weight of this trial. God, who wants you to exercise your faith through prayer and call on His name, is ready, willing and available to help you.
So I’m stirring Psalm 145:18-19 NIV into your cup of inspiration, which says, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, remember that God hears your petition. And when you ask Him to turn your failure into triumph, He responds in grand fashion. He loves answering your prayers, so expect healing, increase, restoration and victory over whatever is troubling you!
Now, let’s pray.
God, some things in my life have fallen apart. Please put the pieces back together again as only You can. I need Your help, and I am confident that You will come to my rescue. By faith, thank You for turning this season of failure into a season of triumph. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
