“Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
? Winston Churchill
When I read those words this morning, they weren’t about failure being an option, they were about persistence. About enthusiasm. More than that, I think they are also about how I choose to define failure. Do I define it in the world’s terms, or in God’s terms? My thought is that God in His infinite grace will give me an “A” for effort, even if in my narrow-minded view my attempt at doing His will was unsuccessful. The key for me is to remember that things happen from my efforts that I do not always see, or that I am not even meant to see.
For me, Churchill’s words have a more spiritual resonance if I replace “failure” with “effort”. That effort is a small word, but I’m specifically breathing a lot of God-inspired energy behind it. Think of Churchill’s words and the Apostle Paul. Think of those people in your life who seem to be getting the proverbial “short end of the stick” and yet their enthusiasm does not waiver. Think of your own life and your attitude towards adversity.
In reflecting on that quote and my ramblings this morning, I find myself rejoicing in Psalm 27. Those are probably my most cherished Words (the Psalm in its entirety). It is almost like the Psalmist is taking Churchill’s words (and more) but adding the big cherry on top:
“I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.” (verse 13)
The “land of the living”. That, for me, is cause for enthusiasm.
Okay, I must confess that my mind just filled with a country song: ‘Life Ain’t Always Beautiful’ by Gary Allan. I’ll put all the words on my blog if you want to read them. Wow! I was just re-reading all the words, and if I take out one word (“pretty”, because that wouldn’t be how I describe God’s face), I could easily see this being a conversation with God. I have never looked at that song that way until now. But here is one specific snippet that keeps those words from Psalm 27:13 ringing in my ears:
“But the struggles makes me stronger
And the changes make me wise
And happiness has it’s own way of takin’ its sweet time”
Be enthusiastic. Be joyful. In all things rejoice. For He is with us.
—
Song: Life Ain’t Always Beautiful
Artist: Allan Gary
Album: Tough All Over
Life ain’t always beautiful
Sometimes it’s just plain hard
Life can knock you down, it can break your heart
Life ain’t always beautiful
You think you’re on your way
And it’s just a dead end road at the end of the day
But the struggle makes you stronger
And the changes make you wise
And happiness has it’s own way of takin’ it sweet time
[chorus]
No,life aint always beautiful
Tears will fall sometimes
Life aint always beautiful
But it’s a beautiful ride
Life aint always beautiful
Some days I miss your smile
I get tired of walkin’ all these lonely miles
And I wish for just one minute
I could see your pretty face
Guess I can dream, but life dont work that way
But the struggles makes me stronger
And the changes make me wise
And happiness has it’s own way of takin’ its sweet time
No, life aint always beautiful
But I know I’ll be fine
Hey, life aint always beautiful
But its a beautiful ride
What a beautiful ride