«But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers» (Luke 22:32, NLT).
My friend Dennis lent me The Book of Heroic Failures, by Stephen Pile. It is basically a humorous compilation of the most colossal failures and the clumsiest plans ever made. The book includes the story of the worst robbery in the world (in which the thief lost close to five sterling pounds trying to rob a cashier at a supermarket), the story of the worst inventor in the world (Arthur Pedric, who patented 162 inventions but none of them were successful), and the story of the worst bullfighter in the world (El Gallo, who ran away in terror every time he saw a bull). Author Stephen Pile wrote the book because he believes success is overrated and recounting failures is as important as counting victories.
Bible authors seem to have had the same view. Time and again they refuse to «digitally retouch» the image of Bible characters to erase their defects and failures. That is how we know Moses was a great leader, but he was also a murderer; Elijah was a great prophet, but he also suffered from anxiety and depression; John Mark was an excellent evangelist, but he abandoned Paul and Barnabas in the middle of a missionary journey. . . The fact that men and women in the Bible are not like the images on church stained glass windows, but made of flesh and bone, fills me with hope. If God was able to use them and redeem their errors, then He can also use me and redeem mine.
God does not censure our past. He does not take our life story and cross out all the embarrassing parts with a black marker. He rewrites our story, including every chapter, even the saddest ones. He does not deny our past, instead He redeems it, granting us forgiveness and giving us the chance to write a different ending along with Him. When Jesus chose Peter as His disciple, He already knew that in His time of greatest need, Peter would deny knowing Him (see John 18:17). Nevertheless, He chose him anyway! At the Last Supper, Jesus told Peter that, if he repented after denying Him, He would use to strengthen his brothers (see Luke 22:32). Like Peter’s story, your story and mine are no reason to end in failure. God specializes in transforming mistakes and rewriting stories.
Lord, thank You because Your power to redeem
extends to each and every one of my mistakes.
Today I do not hide my failures, but I surrender them to You. Transform them for your glory!
#WomensDevotional
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Take From: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2022
«NO FEARS»
BY: VANEZA PISSUTO
Collaborators: Alexandra Pérez & Angelica Cuate
