Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday July 21, 2010

In your opinion what is the worst part of failure, failure of any kind? To hear or read the accounts of those who have failed you could easily reach the conclusion that the worst part of failure is those who caused you to fail. This is understandable, especially to those among us that have read the Bible. Placing blame on others, even on God is as old as the human race. The second area where most blame is falsely placed for failure is the wife. Lilly's translation of Genesis:

"Lord, you remember that woman you made for me? Well, she gave me an apple, and if you had made a better woman, I would of course be a better man. So why are you bothering me with your manufacturing problem?"

God did NOT accept the blame for Adam's failure and He will NOT accept any blame placing from you or me.

Of course horrendous circumstances enter into our reasons for failure. Understandably so. But life or the world does not stop due to circumstances. It goes on and so must we.

The hardest thing I have ever had to face concerning any failure and I have had my share is the near silent, nagging question;

"Did I really do my best?"

Doing our best means total engagement, focusing all of our powers on achieving whatever project we have set out to accomplish. This focus for the Christian entails reasonable certainty that we are doing God's will. Knowing that we failed to really do our best is the most haunting aspect of failure and this is one powerful reason why it is so hard to get over it and go on. Halfhearted effort will not be accepted by Christ. An old song had it, "Do what you do well, Son, do what you do well."

Football player, coach and founder of the Chicago Bears, George Halas said it well:

"Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it."

Jesus Christ instructs us to get in the game or get out when He states in Revelation 3:15:

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Most painful question; "Have I done my best for Jesus when He has done so much for me?"

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit

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