The story in the headline of this piece for me sums up so much about life these days and the things that happen to us. Many of us have at some time in our life failed at something. Maybe it was an exam we failed, or a failed relationship, or failing to get that really important job. Or it might be that we felt we had failed because of something that has happened in our lives that may have had a different outcome if we had done something different.

We all respond differently to failure. The author of our headline story obviously responded to failure by getting angry. Others may feel so dejected that they decide life is no longer worth living. However we respond, there are probably very few people who can instantly shrug off failure. Our pride gets dented and the blame response can kick in. Pride gets in the way of so many things and ultimately can lead to our destruction. One of the verses I always remember from the Bible is,

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Pet 5:5)

This, I think, is the answer to so many of our difficulties in society. Of course, in our headline story there is eventually a breakthrough which leads to some fulfilment which is great, and maybe having worked through this process we might come out a better person. We can all learn from our mistakes and begin again.

"You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down." (Mary Pickford)

I have often used this quotation in speaking to prisoners who struggle with their failure and who don't know how to deal with it. We all need a way out of any difficult situation not to save face necessarily but more importantly in order to live peacefully again. I have faced several 'failures' in my life - some quite public ones and some known only to a few people and I occasionally look back and wonder how I managed to pick myself up. In my pastoral role, I am privy to many difficult situations in people's lives. Other people in the community have no idea what is going on 'behind closed doors' and I admire people's fortitude in working through their difficulties in order to succeed, whatever success might mean for them.

Keep striving, whatever life is throwing at you at the moment. Feelings of failure need not last for ever and God's grace is there in abundance for those who seek his help.

With God's blessings to you all,

Chris