Prayers

Prayer About Failure

by Stephen Wong
12/05/20
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Lord God,

In our fast-paced world today,

Many of us have fallen into the trap of thinking that success is the all-important thing,

From a young age we have been dazzled by dreams of becoming rich and famous,

And we are taught that we can achieve anything we want to if we will work hard enough,

And in a society that is focussed so much on efficiency and results,

We can often mistakenly find our identity in our work and performance,

Yet, it is also clear that none of us are safe from failure,

And no matter how hard we work or how successful we become,

There will inevitably be moments when life won’t go to plan,

And we will fail to live up to the expectations set by ourselves and others,

We may one day make a bad business deal or financial investment,

We may one day lose our job or house,

We may one day find ourselves coming up second best again,

We may find ourselves disappointing those we have tried so hard to please,

We may fail to get that position we have worked so hard for,

We may fail to ever achieve those dreams we have had since childhood,

And during these moments, it is easy to simply fall into despair and shame,

So please remind me Lord that success in the world is not the all-important thing in life,

And that there is so much more to life than simply what we can see around us,

Although our failures can sometimes be the result of sinful choices,

Often it can be due to factors that are beyond our control,

Lord, please teach me to have a healthy perspective on worldly success,

Teach me to discern when it is right to keep working hard and not give up,

And when it is right to give up on chasing foolish fantasies,

Teach me to make the most of the gifts and opportunities you have provided me with,

Without being consumed by them,

Teach me to use the skills and talents you have given me to serve others,

Rather than simply trying to put myself ahead of them,

Teach me not only to celebrate my own victories but also the victories of others,

And to share in their tears when they face defeat,

Please also teach me that regardless of how successful I become,

It is all a gift from you and is for your glory,

And that all success is temporary and fleeting,

And will one day be forgotten,

Lord, I pray that you would remind me that ultimately what is more important than success,

Is living a holy life that is pleasing to you,

When I encounter fail,

Help me to humbly acknowledge my limitations and learn the lessons you are teaching,

And when I encounter success,

Guard my heart against pride, greed and self-centredness that so easily overcomes me,

So whether I meet with success or failure along the way,

May you help me to rest content, confident that you will provide for all of my needs,

Because there is nothing better or more worthwhile,

Than living a life in fellowship with you.