Failing Is Not Fatal

By Dr. Michael Guido

A struggling single mother worked as a secretary in a Dallas bank. Electric typewriters had just been introduced, but there was no automatic way to correct mistakes. Bette Nesmith became frustrated when she would have to retype an entire page for one misspelled word.

Watching the painters decorate the bank windows for Christmas, she noticed that if they made a mistake, they would simply cover it with another color. No one knew the difference.

Intrigued, she began to experiment at home and eventually developed a white, water-based paint. Whenever she made a mistake, she would simply cover it with her new product and continue typing. One morning she took her “discovery” to work in a nail polish bottle. When others noticed what she was doing, they asked if she would provide some for them to use. It was from her “failings” at spelling, observing the work of others, and research that “Liquid Paper” was born.

When we fail, it is never final or fatal unless we give in and give up. The prophet Micah had some great advice for us. Micah said, “Though I fall I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”
When we fail, we must remember that “we can rise again!” We must look to the Lord for His strength to empower us, His Spirit to guide us, and His wisdom to enable us to succeed.

Prayer: Encourage us, Lord, when times are tough and we are tempted to quit, to rely completely on You. May we find strength, courage, and wisdom in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. Micah 7:8