By Dickson Tumuramye
We have all failed in life at some point, but we have not been worthless. We are still alive and moving forward with greatness in one area or another. To some, failure came as a learning experience, and they got over it with more courage and focus. Other people never believed they could try again, and all their hope was shattered. That is also part of life. Life has never been straight.
Business people know it better. You make a deal today and get excited. It’s a parallel road the next day. The loss incurred could have been greater than expected. Nevertheless, they rise up and get you back on your feet. To them, risk is part of their business life, and they aim for survival and profit. It is all about mastering what you are doing, and over time, you learn how to deal with each situation as it comes.=.
This is the same for life’s failures. They will always be there, but that does not mean you have reached the end of the road and only destruction awaits to snatch you.
Failure can be described as a lack of success in reaching a planned goal. It can also be a state of not meeting a desirable or intended objective. Failure can leave a big gap in your life that you feel it won’t be easy to fill soon or later. All in all, there is always hope, and the way you perceive failure determines how you will overcome it and how far you will reach.
Reflecting on Paul’s words, he says, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we waste away, yet inwardly we are renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9, 16). The spirit of regular renewal should be what we strive for in our success, not despair.
That is what happens in children’s lives when they encounter failure. Sometimes they seem to be outwardly wasting away, feeling worn out with fear and anxiety, yet there is something special God put in them: inner strength. However, we as parents fail to see that and focus on their life failures. We somehow believe this child is not worth a good life.
Each child has the potential to make it in life and succeed. But most parents look at their children’s success through a high academic performance lens, which is one aspect of their career development.
Our children are back home for the holidays. Maybe some did not perform to your expectations. Don’t judge them as failures. It is you who have a problem because you don’t want to discover where their true potential lies. Not everybody is called to be successful through education. Not all people who used to get first place in class and the best grades in school or first class at university are very successful now. It is not true that all rich men in this country and globally have succeeded because of education.
It is you who identifies that unique attribute in your child this holiday that you can enhance to ensure your child is destined for the valuable life you desire for him or her. Their talents could be hidden in practical things beyond class theories. They may be proficient at farming, athletics, football, basketball, or any sport, electrical work, graphic design, website development, etc., or any hands-on thing, but all that is not promoted at their school. It is wise to use this holiday to discuss with your children where their strength lies. Each one of us has his or her weaknesses, but we push on with life to achieve our goals.
Your child could be a failure just because of your poor attitude towards him or her or your negative words that have influenced his or her perception of life. You may need to speak words that bring hope and pride to him or her.
There is no situation that is permanent in your child’s life. If the performance has not been better in one school, change to another, use coaching and mentorship, buy textbooks, and teach your child yourself, among many other strategies.
Don’t think your child was meant to fail at what he or she does, but fate has it that s/he may not rise again. “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again and that its shoots will not cease” (Job 14:7). Where there is inner strength and hope, they will not fail to reach their destiny. Never give up or lose heart. With faith in the Lord, it is all possible. Success will come one day, and failure will never be close.
