Failure or Mistake – Part 2

Last week I shared that I felt like a failure after a failed attempt at baking a vegan cake to surprise my granddaughter for her birthday. After being comforted by words from Father God it was decided that I was not a failure, I simply made a mistake. With this new found courage, I told self, I am not going to walk in defeat, nope, we are going to retry. After all, mistakes or failed attempts, when tried again have proven to be successful victories. I scheduled Wednesday as my day to try again!

My granddaughter’s day off from work is on Wednesdays, so I got up early to make another birthday cake. I found a different recipe for both cake and icing. The icing was a butter cream icing, which called for vegan butter and not coconut milk. With my confidence in the Lord, I prepared the cake and icing per the recipe. The cake smelled scrumptious and the icing turned out beautiful, my eight year old grandson actually asked to lick the bowl when done (smile).

After Peter felt like a failure for denying Jesus thrice, we read in John 21:15-17 of Jesus asking Peter to feed His sheep. Our Savior Jesus didn’t see Peter as a failure, no, He saw Peter as human with emotions that needed tempered. Jesus saw great potential in Peter! This potential was proven in Acts 2:14;41 when Peter stands boldly before thousands and preaches a powerful sermon about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. This sermon touched the hearts of many and 3000 souls were saved that day.

God can turn our weaknesses into strength. God tells us in His Word that He uses the base things of this world to confound the wise, He doesn’t call the so-called wise to minister for Him in His kingdom (But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 KJV). Peter saw himself as a failure but Jesus saw him as a leader.

God sees all of His children with great potential because He has gifted each of us with gifts and talents, and we have Holy Spirit dwelling within us as our teacher and guide. We are either leaders, teachers, helpers, mothers, preachers, missionaries, Sunday School teachers, etc. We are all someone with potential in Father God’s kingdom!

The second attempt at the birthday cake turned out perfect! It was moist and delicious, the icing was perfect and my granddaughter was all smiles. Friends, when things don’t turn out as planned, don’t quit in defeat! The Bible says “a righteous man falls seven times, and riseth up again” (Proverbs24:16). Peter got up and became a powerful Apostle for God’s kingdom. Don’t let mistakes stop you, get up in the name of the Lord and keep trying until you get the results He has already gifted you with.