Babe Ruth gave us the famous quote: “Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
Our faith also encourages us to think this way too - to not live fearfully or to fear failure. God is with us no matter what – that even applies to the times we make mistakes (because we all will) or when we step out of our comfort zone courageously. God also doesn't want us to let our fear keep us from playing the game. We are going to look at some Bible verses about failure, Bible verses for overcoming fear and how each scripture shows us that God is there with us when we fail.
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Does God Allow Us to Fail?
Have you ever asked yourself, “does God allow us to fail? And if so, why?” It might be a new job we didn’t get, a goal we set for ourselves in a sport, in our career, or in the classroom, or even something as simple as forgetting to pay a bill on time. All these instances can conjure up feelings of disappointment, discouragement or letdown in ourselves.
Scott Beck in “Nothing Is Impossible” knows this feeling too well. As a high school graduate, he was an NBA hopeful, ready and at his prime to get drafted. When things didn’t go as planned, Beck quickly fell down on his luck, questioning why God would allow his life to go off course.
WATCH NOW: TRAILER FOR THE NEW PURE FLIX ORIGINAL 'NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE' IS HERE
Let’s look at some Bible verses about failure that can help us understand why God allows it:
2 Corinthians 4:9 (NIV)
“persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Bible verses about failure are there as a great acknowledgment of the fact that at times we may fail or fall on our path towards holiness, but God will never abandon us forever and He will help us get back on track. This Bible verse about failure tells us that while we will fall, it is never an end-all-be-all situation with God.
Psalm 145:14 (NIV)
“The Lord upholds all who fall; and lifts up all who are bowed down.”
Our God watches over His people at all times – He allows us to fail at times in order to grow closer to Him. When we fail, we should remember Bible verses about failure show God is indeed still with us when we ask Him to be there.
Romans 3:23 (NIV)
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
God forgives us of all of our sins and shortcomings, including the times we fail. Of these Bible verses about failure, this one shares that we all will fail or make mistakes at one time or another but that doesn’t detract from God’s love for us.
READ ALSO: 15 BIBLE VERSES ABOUT NOT GIVING UP...EVEN IN THE HARDEST TIMES
What does the Bible say about Failure?
It’s natural as a human to want to avoid failure. We can plan and try to control as much as possible in order to avoid failure, and in the end, we can still end up making a mistake somewhere along the way. Failure makes us disappointed in ourselves. The Bible tells us not to be discouraged when we fail, because we can use it to become stronger and bolster our relationship with God.
In “Nothing Is Impossible,” Scott Beck felt like a failure, especially in the eyes of his father. Scott always wanted to make his dad proud of him, and Scott thought his only shot was getting drafted to the NBA. When that fell through and Scott had no backup plan, he felt like he couldn’t measure up to what his dad expected of him.
These Bible verses about failure can comfort us in knowing God is there with us during the hard times as well as the good times:
Proverbs 24:16 (NIV)
“for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.”
Many Bible verses about failure tell us that with God by our side. With this message, we are more open and easily ready to bounce back after a mistake or failed attempt is made. We can replace the word “seven” with any number – as God will give us the courage and strength to get back up on our feet.
READ ALSO: BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS EVERY DAY WITH THESE BIBLE VERSES
Psalm 40:2-3 (NIV)
“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”
After we fall or fail, with God’s forgiveness and grace, he makes us anew. These Bible verses about failure tell us that trusting God will help us learn from our mistakes and understand how to serve Him better.
Joshua 23:14 (NIV)
“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”
If we fall off the path God has set for us, we should not worry about not fulfilling God’s plan. These Bible verses about failure show us just that. God has always made His promises come to life regardless. He will “make straight our paths” and gently guide and correct us back to His plan.
What does the Bible say about Overcoming Fear?
Stepping out of our comfort zone, doing something new, like starting a new job or going after a big goal can be scary. Not knowing what will – or won’t – happen, hoping it goes as planned, not being able to know the outcome, can instill fear in us as we approach these situations. These are the times when we have to have faith in God and ask the Holy Spirit for the strength and courage to guide us through the unknown.
Scott Beck in “Nothing Is Impossible,” faced his fear of being rejected when he entered the open tryouts for the NBA Knoxville team as an older candidate going up against other NBA-hopefuls in their prime. Faced with the challenge, he used his faith to overcome the obstacles that were before him.
Let’s look at some Bible verses overcoming fear:
Psalm 23:4 (NIV)
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Temptation can hit us at any moment. Bible verses overcoming fear give us good reminders that no matter what we face, we can call on God and He will be with us, guiding us and protecting us for temptation.
Psalm 27:1 (NIV)
"The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?"
Knowing that God will be with us in the face of something scary or unknown should bolster our faith. Relying on Him and strengthened by the words of these Bible verses overcoming fear, we can conquer whatever challenge we encounter.
Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
“ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
There are many popular Bible verses overcoming fear but this by far is one of the most popular. This Bible verse reminds us that when we walk with God, anything is possible because we have the God of the Universe on our side and there’s nothing He can not do.
We hope these Bible verses about failure and overcoming fear encourage you and strengthen you when facing new challenges and obstacles. For more inspiration, see our Most Popular Bible Verses guide, and don’t forget to watch “Nothing Is Impossible” exclusively on Pure Flix October 6th!
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