Weekly Devotion - #9

Read: Matthew 25:14-30

What is a Failure?

A failure is not someone who fails but someone who quits. Don't let troubles break you but let them make you. They can become your stepping stone to success. Success is not determined by what it takes to start you but by what it takes to stop you. What does it take to discourage you and cause you to quit? "Quitters never win and winners never quit." "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9). There will be times in your life that you become weary, which means tired, fed-up, or discouraged, but keep going and you will reap or win.

Beethoven handled the violin awkwardly and preferred playing his own compositions. His teacher called him hopeless as a composer. He became deaf and did not hear his music.

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. He also went bankrupt several times before building Disneyland.

Thomas Edison's teachers said he was too stupid to learn.

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4 years old and didn't read until he was seven. His teachers described him as "mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in foolish dreams."

F. W. Woolworth's employer at the dry goods store said he had not enough sense to wait upon customers.

Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he finally succeeded.

Babe Ruth, considered by sports historians to be the greatest athlete of all time and famous for hitting home runs also holds the record for strikeouts, l,330 times. Baseball players today are paid millions to hit only three out of ten times.

Winston Churchill failed sixth grade. At age 62 after a lifetime of defeats he became Prime Minister of England. He spoke only seven words to a class of cadets, "Young men, never quit, never, never, never!"

Abraham Lincoln was born in poverty. He lost eight elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown. But in l860 he was elected president because he did not quit. [TGC]

THOT: Don't stop, quit or give up!

TODAY: Make a promise to God: "I will not quit. I will continue faithful. I will not give up."

This lesson is from  30 Heart Touching Devotions available from SWM.

You have permission to copy for personal and church use.