Success the Hard Way
A Devotional by Dr. David Jeremiah
“So [Moses] looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.” (Exodus 2:12)
“And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. 6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.” (Deuteronomy 34:5-8; NIV)
The title of Pastor Erwin W. Lutzer’s 1975 book suggests a biblical approach to handling the failures we experience in life: Failure: The Backdoor to Success. If failure is the back door to success, that means failure really isn’t a failure at all! Failure can be part of success.
The Bible certainly does not hide the failures of its principle characters. Israel’s national hero, Moses, experienced his fair share of failures both before and after being called by God. He had to flee Egypt because he murdered a soldier who was abusing a Hebrew soldier. That failure led him to a 40-year sojourn in Midian where he matured and met God. Though he argued with God about returning to Egypt, he eventually did—though throughout the Hebrews’ wilderness wanderings his temper and impulsivity got the better of him more than once. But to Moses’ credit, he always rebounded from his failures and ultimately ended his life with God’s blessing.
If you have failed in some way, take heart. Ask God to show you how to redeem the time and the circumstances. Ask Him to let “failure” be your backdoor to success.
“The Lord Jesus does not cast off His believing people because of failures and imperfections.”
J. C. Ryle
© 2014 Turning Point: Dr. David Jeremiah
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