Rick Warren: 5 Reasons We Fail

Crisis and failure
Do you allow your failures to keep you down? (iStock photo)

Failure doesn't have to be final. In fact, I believe God wants to put our failures to work for us.

Everybody experiences defeats in life. Everybody has failures. The book of Proverbs has a lot of insight into what causes failure. Five different things that cause failure in our life, according to the book of Proverbs:

1. We fail when we don't plan ahead. It's like the old saying, "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail." Prov. 27:12 says, "A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them. But the simple-minded man never looks and suffers the consequences." Are you simple minded? Some of us have a tendency to be impulsive. Yet the sensible man plans ahead. The impulsive person never looks ahead and suffers the consequences.

Prov. 16:9 says, "We ought to make our plans counting on God to direct us." One of the reasons we fail is we just don't plan. Was it raining when Noah built the ark? No. It didn't rain for 120 years. That's what I call long-range planning. For 120 years he worked on that ark. Jesus told the story about a man who built a building and before he got it finished he had to give up because he hadn't planned ahead. We fail because we don't plan.

2. We fail when we think we've arrived. Prov. 18:18, "Pride leads to destruction and arrogance to downfall." When we think we've got it all together, watch out. You're never going to get anywhere if you think you're already there.

Pride causes us to fail. One of the symptoms of pride is we don't think we need any advice. "I've got it all together. I don't need anybody. Me and Jesus, we've got a good thing going. I don't need anybody to tell me what it's all about."

3. We fail when we are afraid to take risks. Prov. 25:29 tells us that the "Fear of man is a dangerous trap but to trust in God means safety." The moment you start to worry about what other people think, you're doomed. It's a trap.

The greatest failure is the failure to try. When I die I want, four words written on my tombstone: "At least he tried." For the glory of God. You've got to take risks. That's what brings abundance. That's what brings success in life. Don't be afraid to go out on a limb; that's where the fruit is. We're afraid to take risks, and we fail.

4. We fail because we give up too soon. The trouble with many people is that during trying times, they just stop trying. Failure is the path of least persistence. How many ball games have been won in the last seconds? Keep on keeping on. Never give up.

Prov. 15:19 says, "A lazy fellow has trouble all through life." If at first you don't succeed, you're normal. Try again. Many times success is right around the corner. You are never a failure until you quit.

5. We fail when we don't listen to God. The number one reason we fail is that we don't listen to God. Prov. 14:12 says, "There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death." God's Word is filled with guidelines and principles to make our life all that God wants it to be. But most of the time we want to listen to our feelings, "I feel that this is the right thing to do—even if God's Word says it differently."

The fact is, God's Word is usually the opposite of our natural inclinations. God says the way to get is to give, the way to be honored is to be humbled, the way to greatness is to be a servant. When we don't listen to God, we're in trouble. Lack of prayer causes a lot of failure.

Regardless of the cause, we all fail. What matters most is what you do when you fail. God is more interested in your future than He is in your past. The Bible shows us a way to get a fresh start, and I'll write more about that in part two.

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book, The Purpose Driven Church, was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

For the original article, visit pastors.com.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.



Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.

Charisma Leader — Serving and empowering church leaders