Whenever you talk about recovery, whether it’s from alcoholism, from drug addiction, or from religious abuse—failure is a prerequisite. Without being a failure, there would be no need for recovery. But failure doesn’t have to be negative—not in the long term. The key isn’t whether or not you’ve failed but what you do with your failure—how you process it. If you deny that you’ve failed, you’ll stay stuck where you are, constantly justifying past behavior, saying, “I was right. They were wrong.”
Sadly, that’s where most people live their lives—looking back rather than looking forward, which makes every aspect of their lives a struggle. It’s not at all what God wants; that’s for sure. Denial never works—never, never, never. Instead of living in denial, embrace your failure—make it your own. Accept it; acknowledge it; and move on. Never allow your failures to corrupt your future. Stop living in shame, looking back at the past, which you have no power to change. That’s what God’s forgiveness and mercy are all about, and it’s where recovery begins. It’s the bottom you have to reach before real growth can begin.
Remember, God has allowed you to go through difficult periods for a purpose. Use that difficulty constructively. It will help you get “unstuck,” and allow your experience to have value—for yourself and for others.
