I was recently thinking about failure and I thought, “I have never done or tried anything that has failed.” I have a 100% success rate with all the adventures and things I’ve tried. I am not perfect. Far from it, but there is one thing that I am and that is persistent.

I fluctuate between being optimistic and realistic. When I start a new adventure, I’m always optimistic that it will go wonderfully and exactly as planned. Then, as the adventures progress, some go as well or better than planned, while others don’t. However, whether they fly or dive, I control whether or not they succeed based on how I handle the result.

I believe that as long as you learn from your attempts, they are successful. The reality is, by your criteria for success, some of your projects may have failed, but if you learn from that failure, did you really fail?

In Romans 12:11-13 (The Message) we are taught a very valuable lesson. “Do not burn; keep fueled and ablaze. Be alert servants of the Master, joyfully expectant. Do not give up in difficult times; pray louder. Help Christians in need; be inventive in hospitality.”

I’m sure most of you have heard the old saying that you don’t fail until you stop trying. This is exactly how I define failure. Romans 12:11-13 gives us the “how not to” in case of failure.

1.) Stay excited
2.) Don’t give up
3.) Be optimistic about the future
4.) Pray when it gets tough
5.) Help Others

If you incorporate the five basic principles above into your daily life, you may be surprised by the results.

So many times as Christians we walk defeated. We are burnt out, too tired to pray, and can barely help ourselves let alone help others. We have given up on the truth that, as Christians, we all need to know. Galatians 6:9-10 tells us: “Therefore let us not get tired of doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not faint. So, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially those who belong to the family of believers.”

Are you letting the devil steal, kill, and destroy your opportunity for the future, or are you heeding the words of Galatians 6 and persistently seeking God for the abundant life He has promised?

Just remember Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.” The Bible does not tell us how many times we have to ask, search or call, however it does tell us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (New Living Translation) “Never stop praying”.

You can live life with a 100% success rate! You just have to have the persistence to do it!