Fertilizer Failures

"The LORD appeared in the past saying: 

 'I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with loving-kindness.'" 

Jeremiah 31:3

How many times have you heard people say, "I wish I hadn't made this choice or that mistake (chosen this path, married that person, settled for this job, etc.), . . . but then, (as the light dawns) I wouldn't be where I am today (know God's Presence, His forgiveness, His healing, have this spouse, this child, etc.) if those things hadn't happened."  We expect God to use the fertile soil of our obedience and our love for Him to plant and harvest good works and good results - that pattern fits into our "reward" system. However, the most amazing part of God's amazing grace is how He uses our failures as fertilizer for something beautiful in the future.

"In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed. 

In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling."

Exodus 15:13

"Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."

Isaiah 40

"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith,

just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."

Colossians 2:6-7

"And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace,

Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ,

will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you."

I Peter 5:10

Lord, help us quit trying to fix the mess because we get bigger messes. Take them and turn them into something only You can do.  Your creativity and love never leave us without something to show for our willingness simply to give You everything about us - good and bad.   Turn our failures into fertilizer for our faith. Your love is amazing. You don't hold our failures up to shame us and You don't hide them away.  You use them to bring something wonderful into our lives when we submit ourselves to You.
In the Name of Jesus, the God of Second Chances!!