Warranted or Waived?

Failure confuses me! When I fail I have this huge shot to my insecurity and I begin to wonder what has caused my epic blunder. I question myself, I question others, I question timing, and I even question God. Then there is always that "one person", you know... the one that always says the super spiritual thing like "It just wasn't meant to be or God would have allowed it... He must have something better for you." In the moment, I want to punch that person in the face. Yup, I just typed that. My question today is this: "Is my (and yours) failure warranted or waived"?

Waived: Let's start here because this seems to be the place that I, personally, go first. The definition of waived is this: to refrain from claiming or insisting on, to give up or forgo, to put aside for a time or postpone, to dismiss from consideration or discussion... All of which is intentional. How much of my failure is due to my own waivers? My own fears? To my own flat out disobedience. Now don't get super christian on me... you know there are things God has asked you to do, people He has asked you to talk to or help, that you just flat out didn't! Me too! It constantly feels like I waive the intents of God only to latter see someone else doing what He already asked me to do. I wish I had a formula or remedy for us who waiver but I don't, or at least not one better defined by Obedience... or as Nike says it JUST DO IT.


Warranted: I am not the super spiritual type that believes every perceived failure is God moving us to "something better". Sometimes failure is just that... failure. But sometimes it's not! Sometimes it is God shutting the door on us, I believe, either because it isn't His intent or we are trying to do it in our own power. Listen to the definition of warranted: Authorization, sanction, or justification. Something that serves to give reliable or formal assurance. Something that is considered of having the FORCE of a guarantee. With every fiber of my being I believe some, most, but not all of our failures are warranted. Whether we are trying to chose something less than God's best or we are trying to attain His treasures by our own strength failure can be one of the best tutors. Though at times I want to show that super christian I am a pacifist by passing a fist to their face, I need to realize that more times than not, they are likely right... and I hate being wrong!

So, somewhere between faith and failure we have to determine our perspective on our failures. Have we failed because we have waivered out of fear, insecurity, and defensiveness or has God issued a warrant for our arrest to cease and desist and trust the force of a guarantee that only He can provide. Again, just a pastor getting honest with my own failures in hopes that I am not alone, in hopes that you realize you are not alone and that we can encourage each other along the way Between Faith and Failure! Feel free to comment.