It’s not a skill we tend to teach. After all, it’s not an outcome we want to see. But learning to fail well is something that every Christian needs to do.
We live post-Fall – frailty and rebellion are constant companions of us all – and there is no way any of us can get through this life (this day, even) without messing up in ways that dishonour the Lord and cause others pain. Anything that happens as often as this needs a well-thought-through plan!
Failing well isn’t as complex as it may sound. It is simply the avoidance of the two unhealthy extremes of (a) being blind to our mistakes, unwilling to ask for grace and (b) being overwhelmed by our sin, unwilling to accept grace. Failing well is the acknowledgment that sin and struggles are normal, that repentance is crucial, that community support in times of failure is beautiful, that grace is abundant and that therefore hope reigns supreme.
