Why do we choose the hard way to do things when people before us have discovered another way? Why do we hold on to mistakes of the past and re-run them over and over again in our heads each time ending in the exact same outcome? Why do we beat ourselves up when we really just want to ride the highs of life and avoid the lows?

If only there was another way. If only we could erase mistakes in the past and re-write our book, transform our future.

But then that gets me thinking…. what would change in the present and in our future if I changed my past? If I spent more time with someone, and less time with others, would I be the same person? would I now be rich if I didnt waste all that time effort and money on those past failures……?

Failure, What exactly is failure? the dictionary tells me that failure is an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful. so could my life be a failure? Failure applies to an act or instance, which our lives is more then just one act or instance, so while moments of our life could be seen as a failure it is impossible for our complete lives to be a failure, because our lives are way bigger then just and single act or instance.

I remember going for my learners test. I failed that written test about 5-6 times before I got it. does that mean I’m a failure on the roads today? The thing about failure is you have the chance to change that failure into a success. I focused on getting my license and I didnt stop until I got it. We can change my failures!

But there are moments in life that have happened that you know you cant revisit and transform that failure into a success, either that person it involved has moved on or passed away, or you are no longer in that place of influence (ie you dont work there anymore). So what happens there? do we hobble around in life carrying those wounds? Do we just give up on life because we were dealt the dirty hand?

How can we change this failure in our past into success in our future? Where does this change happen? Does it happen in the other people? Does it happen within those pen strokes placing words onto paper? Does it happen externally and somewhere out of our control? Or is it within our control? Can we initiate that change?

Change is within us. If you never believe that change is possible, you will never achieve it. If I thought i would never get my license because I once failed. then to this day I would still be walking around or riding a push bike. I wanted change in my life, I wanted to be become successful. Do I say that my life is a failure because my parents were never there for me when I needed them most? Or do I say that their negative influence in my life has helped form me into the person I am today.

So why do we make the same mistakes others have made? why do we get snared in the same traps others have fallen into?

Its because we havent made those mistakes ourselves. we havent had the failure in our life to make it into a success. its our FAILURES that make our lives SUCCESSFUL, not our successes. we need to learn from every failure and add it to us. let it grow us bit by bit. If I never had all my failures in life I would be a completely different person to what I am today, and even though I’m still far from perfect, I’m extremely happy with who I have become. and I wouldnt change any one of my failures.

If I never failed, I didn’t try. If I spent 5 years becoming a doctor and failed in the last year, does that mean I know nothing about being a doctor? Far from it! I may have failed the final test but I have 5 years of knowledge that has grown me. So I have become better in my failure. if I chose never to study at all becuase I thought I would fail anyway, Then I lose out and I stay as the person that never tried. Its better to tried and failed then to never have tried at all.

We need to stop getting hung up on our failures, dwelling on them and beating ourselves up over what is done, Instead Focus on how those failures are making us more successful to take on life with better knowledge. Equipping us for the goals laid ahead of us.

(2 Kings ch7) this is the story of a group of lepers that went to the enemies camp and scared them away and free’ed the city from the enemy and released riches to the captive.

The lepers knew their past, their failure, they were waiting at the gates because they were not allowed into the city. But they had choices. they could return to the village, and be killed for returning, they could stay where they were until they died, or they could enter the enemies camp and maybe, just maybe, they would be spared. they had nothing to lose so they went towards the enemy. God blessed their approach and made the enemy think there was a mighty army invading them so they fled. Releasing the captive city in their actions. Now the really cool part is this, if they were never lepers, they never would of been cast out from the city. and they would have never been in the position to bring about change. It was their inperfections that put them into a position that God could use them. God wants to use those with imperfections and failures. why?? Because He knows we can rise above it and bring about change. Using our failures to create our success.

If we dwell on the past we stay in the past. If we aim for the future using the arrows of failure past, we can conquer those haunts that stand ahead of us.