What if perfection isn’t the goal?

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” - Philippians 3:12

If you’ve ever done a weight training program, you know that training to failure can be one of the most effective ways you can grow.

It’s from that moment when your muscles can’t push the bar up one more time that you’re beginning to get stronger.

But in life, most of us do everything we can to avoid failure.

We hesitate to take risks. We stay safe in what we know. We fear what people will think if we stumble, so we play it small instead of stepping into the arena.

Why? Because failure feels like weakness. Like proof that we weren’t strong enough, smart enough, capable enough.

But what if failure isn’t the end of the story? What if it’s the training ground for growth?

Every great man of faith, from Moses to Peter to Paul, failed deeply before God used them powerfully. 

But they didn’t stay down. They learned. They grew. They let God shape them through all of the ups and downs.

Failure humbles us. It can help us grow in our dependence on God. It strips away pride and can even build resilience.

So maybe the goal isn’t to never fail. Maybe the goal is to fail forward—to get back up stronger, wiser, and more rooted in and dependent on Christ.

Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from stepping into what God is calling you to.

Because in His hands, even your failures can become the foundation for your greatest growth.

Has there ever been a time in your life when you fell flat on your face? How has God used that to grow you?