In America, people often idolize success—even those of us in ministry. But that kind of pressure puts major stress on us.
The fear of failure has many different faces. It can cause you to be indecisive, a workaholic, and a perfectionist who clings to safety.
And because we’re afraid to fail, we shun all kinds of risks.
For many of us, the fear of failure has an iron grip on our hearts. Sometimes the best and the brightest church leaders are the most impacted by the fear of failure.
That’s why it’s important to internalize this one simple message: We’ve all made mistakes. It’s not just a “you problem”; it’s a human problem.
The Bible says, “There is no one on earth who does what is right all the time and never makes a mistake” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 GNT).
Not only have you made mistakes in the past, but you’ll also make more in the future. Even playing it safe and refusing to take risks is a mistake.
The question isn’t whether you’ll fail or not. You’ve already failed many times in life. Everyone has. You might even be experiencing failure in an area of your life right now.
Even superstars stumble. The greatest professional basketball players only sink half their shots. The best professional baseball players will get out two out of every three at bats. Failure is normal.
You’ll never overcome your fear of failure until you fully accept the reality that you’re not perfect.
The Bible says there is only one failure you need to fear: “Be careful that no one fails to receive God’s grace” (Hebrews 12:15 NCV).
Pastors need grace. Every single one does.
Only when we let go of the fear of failure will it let go of its maddening grip on our lives.
Once that happens, we can fully accept the grace of God.
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