I Failed Today

I failed today. I prepared, I prayed, I preached. I got to the plate. But I struck out. I realized it while I was preaching. It just wasn’t sparking, I wasn’t getting through. And I got that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I hate to feel like I’ve not accomplished what I intended to - I hate to feel like I’ve failed.  Maybe that was your Sunday too.  Guess what.

1. If you taught truth in love you didn’t totally fail. You fulfilled your prime mission.  In fact, that, teaching truth in love, is the first standard.  

2. I’ll try again.  I will. In about 7 days.  Someday I will preach my last sermon - the Lord will return or I will go to Him - I’m not sure when that will be and I live my life in light of that impending time but until then I will plan and prepare and pray like I’ll preach next week.

3. The brethren are gracious.  There seems to be an odd measure of grace or something akin to it that most any Sunday I feel like the message was not as meaningful as I planned some several will come out and tell me what that specific message meant to them. Today as we sand the “song” a man who needed the lesson came forward.  Today a lady who is so very private said: “I’m not sure how you knew it but I really needed that particular message on this day.” And today a text from a deacon assured me the message touched his heart as well. 

Remember “it is required of a steward that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2), that’s it and that’s all and that’s enough. Thank you God for small assurances to the preacher on challenging days.

And thank you fellow preacher for trying.