How to Handle Failure

by Travis L Quertermous

From The Reminder, July 3, 2011

Everyone knows that the greatest hitter in baseball history was Babe Ruth. But did you know that Babe Ruth struck out 1330 times, twice as often as he hit a home run! Suppose he had quit the first time he failed at the plate? He would never have had the great career he went on to have!

Sometimes we strike out in the game of life as well. We fail at something and we are tempted to just quit. The apostle Peter often failed in serving Christ. In fact, when Jesus was on trial, Peter denied he knew Him three times, the last time “cursing and swearing” (Matt. 26:74). But he didn’t give up! Peter repented and went on to become a great leader and preacher in the early church.

John Mark quit on the apostle Paul during his first missionary journey and Paul refused to take him along on his second missionary journey. But Mark repented and also became a great minister, so that even Paul later said, “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11). God used Mark to write the second book of the New Testament, the Gospel of Mark.

Friends, how do you handle failure and defeat? Do you let sin discourage you in God’s service or do you repent of it and persevere in His service? Sometimes we will all strike out, but let us all be like Babe Ruth and step back up to life’s plate determined to hit a home run next time!