Failure - The perspective of a new day

Most artists do not show you their failures, only their finished works. It is inevitable to fail painting, things go wrong for varied reasons. An expert painter I follow said if you are not failing, you are not learning. This painting started going wrong not long after I started. I did not take care in the initial sketch; I did not choose the same paint colors to mix the skin tone; I began muddling the skin colors and lost the facial features. That night I struggled in despair, I was frustrated, doubt and insecurity lay hold of my thoughts. It seemed as if I had a couple of good attempts recently, then wham, FAILURE happened. But why did I allow the despair, it is just a painting? No one had seen it, no one would know, yet I knew. Somehow, I associated my performance with my worth. Oh, what a trap!

Failure will happen to all of us, in some form or another, either by our hand or another’s, public or private. Spiritual, relationships, finances, job, health, the list goes on. Every deep hurt, anguish, or disappointment rises to the surface as a festering wound if we are not in the right mindset. If I could only learn the right way to respond. If I could just apply what the scriptures say. Count it all Joy when you face trials of many kinds (James 1:2), yet I do not perceive any joy in my soul. Like David I think Why soul are you so downcast? (Psalms 42:11) What Lord is triggering this reaction? What is in my flesh that causes this?

So, what to do? What is the answer? When you take time to get honest with the Lord to allow him to examine your heart and look to the scripture for truth, you gain understanding. If the desire is to please the Lord, that requires faith, that requires repentance, that requires letting go, that requires accepting grace. Hold my thoughts captive Lord and make them obedient to you. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

The good news about painting with acrylics, it dries fast, so you can start again. A friend said once, it is not the that you fail or how often you fail, it is that you get up and run to Jesus, allow him to lead you. I went back to this painting and looked this morning with a fresh perspective. I did not see failure as I had before, I saw potential, and the desire to try again. I am thankful when the Lord sees the failures in our lives, he has compassion for us. We run to the foot of the cross and he gives grace to start again.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. (Psalms 30:5) If you find yourself troubled, run to Jesus and let his grace wash over you. He will give you the strength to start again. He loves you more than you can know. He is a good Father.