The Secret of Success is Failure (part 1)

Over the past couple of years, I’ve faced some painful failures.  I poured my heart into a ministry, and I watched it crumble before my eyes.  Despite my best efforts, things did not go as hoped.  People (including myself) walked away disappointed.  And in the end, I really began to question a lot of things.

God, am I just in the way of your ministry?  Do you really have a plan for me?

Through the brokenness, I began to discover that there is a God who delights in our weakness.  He is quite comfortable with us coming to the end of ourselves and facing our fears.

But this time, when I looked at my failure, I realized there was something on the other side.  Failure is a doorway to greater things.

Seth Godin, in his book Tribes, puts it this way, “[They] have actively talked themselves out of the fear.  I mean, the fear is still there, but it’s drowned out by a different story….  The only thing holding you back is your own fear.”

God is teaching me this lesson in a dozen ways at the same time, but especially  through the great leaders around me at Faith Promise.  From what I can tell, I’m beginning to make some solid progress.  I’m turning over a new leaf.  I’m ready to fail, because I realize that failure is a part of making progress.

5 thoughts on “The Secret of Success is Failure (part 1)

  1. Hey, Kyle! Absolutely agree with what you are saying! Carroll recently said that the opposite of fear is faith. We can doubt, even though we have faith,but we cannot be fearful and faithful at the same time. Made me stop and think about the way I deal with challenges. WAY more fear than faith for me.

  2. Lisa, I sure miss you and your family a ton! Good to hear from you.

    I think it’s worth mentioning that when I mentioned “greater things” I wasn’t referring to a new job. I was referring to the new thing that is happening in me – growth and trust in Christ.

    I will always treasure my time on the West Campus. We cemented friendships through sweat and tears through that time.

  3. This is something I’ve been needing to hear for a while.
    I’m just coming out of that same basic scenario.
    Worked at a church (my first time on staff) as Student Pastor and built up the youth ministry as best as I knew how and as I felt led.
    But, due to conflicts in the church and being unable to communicate effectively with the pastor (some older churches don’t want change), it was made clear that it was time for me to leave.
    And in so doing, so much that I’d fought to get incorporated into the youth services (ie. additional time to allow for worship) was simply tossed aside in favor of going back to the way things were before I was there.

    Certainly, there is more to my story than that.
    But thats the basics of it.

    So thanks for posting this.

    And by the way, my name is Kyle Gilbert, also.

  4. And oddly enough, as I examine your post just a little more closely…
    The date this was posted, March 29, was my last Sunday at my former church.

  5. Wow, Kyle Gilbert! (it’s so weird to say that to another person) I always knew there were other Kyle Gilberts out there, but to communicate with you and find out that you too are in vocational ministry is pretty wild.

    Kyle, I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been going through a challenging time. I hope this was a little encouraging to you like it was for me to write it.

    It seems like the walk of faith and the willingness to fail in Christ are bound together, and some churches begin to fight against change (and faith) without even knowing it.

    I’m praying for you tonight – specifically that you will continue to walk by faith, and that God will bring encouragement by His Spirit.

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