Yes Good Men Fail. Now What?

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What do we do when a good man has a moral failure? What does the otherwise good person do when they fail? People fail - good people.

You’ve probably heard it said, “Failure is prerequisite to success.” “Failure is success in progress.” “Fail forward”. “You fail because you’re trying.” “You haven’t failed until you stop trying”.

Some people fail because of success. It goes to their head. Or it goes to their heart: The fear or stress of success causes them to sabotage their progress.

Failure is part of life. Every great person of accomplishment “failed” to get there! God uses failures.

Let’s look at a good man who failed, the provision God has made for it, and face failure together.

How you handle failure makes all the difference in your world (From Gen. 9:18-29)

Context: good, godly family man Noah goes from mountain top to misery – 100+ years building to one traumatic year trying to get back to a new normal with a bad decision to boot! A moral failure. Now what?

1. Failure Results When You Give Permission to Indulge (18-21)

• When you live at an unsustainable pace a garden looks pretty good, so does the grape! Be careful how you reward yourself after success and comfort yourself after stress (Rom. 13:14).

• Know yourself, take precautions, stay accountable to others. Be aware of changes in behavior especially when it leads to permission to indulge. Moderation helps maintain morality.

2. Failure Reveals Imperfections in Your Perceptions or Character (22-27)

• (22, 24-27). Moral failures happen in unguarded moments, so don’t go there (Pr. 4:23, 1 Co. 10:12-13). Your response when failure is “uncovered” has lasting effects (Pr. 18:21).

• (23). How you affirm the dignity of those who fail and help them “recover” reveals your character. Treat them how you hope to be treated when you fail.

3. Failure Reminds You That There Is Life After Failure (28-29)

• Yes, good people fail. And life goes on. Failure does not define you, what you do with failure defines you (Pr. 24:16). When its uncovered run to Jesus to recover (1 John 1:9).

• Failure reveals the true nature of the gospel: Forgiveness for failures and freedom to recover with a hopeful future. Jesus does that.

Friend, good people fail. What you do with failure makes all the difference in your world. So, fail forward. Let it become success in progress. Fail because you’re trying, not because you’ve quit.

And look for Jesus. He’s your friend in failure who helps you move forward. You’ll discover God’s grace when you embrace your failure.

You’ll also find a new kind of success that will lead you away from the excess. Ready to throw in the towel? Don't. God’s not done with you either.