This book is about looking at and facing our fears in a different way than we are used to. I personally had to face much fear of failure in my life. Whenever there was a challenge in front of me, I feared to fail. That made me get stuck sometimes without even taking a step further, or even if I attempted it, there was a sense in me that made me do it with fear, and in this way not being able to do it with faith, and thus not developing fully what God had in me. This was until I got a deeper understanding of God and His character (something that I am obviously still learning), who requires things from us but is a loving Father at the same time. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). This book can give you insight on how to face, in a proper way, the challenges and battles in life which we fight with God’s help for His glory. If we believe and walk with Christ, He will entrust us to do things for His glory. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). The problem is that we might often fear that we might fail in accomplishing what He is asking us to do. We do not feel capable enough, or we think that we don’t have enough strength given by God in us, or that maybe someone else might do it better than us. We have to know that if He is entrusting us with something, He will also provide everything we need for it and will make us capable by the strength found in Him (2 Peter 1:3). If He called us for something, it is with a purpose. It means that we can do it with His help. As for when we look at others thinking that they are the ones more suitable and capable for this calling, we need to know that everyone is unique and if God has called us for something, then we need to do it. Other people will have different kinds of callings according to His good will. He has established and placed the parts in the body as it pleased Him (see 1 Corinthians 12:18).
I think that many people might be struggling with the fear of failure. I am writing this to tell you my own experience of what is helping me to overcome it, because I am the one that often feels in such a way. I am also writing to those who have experienced the love of God and still feel such fear. Many times, I perceive God is telling me to do things for Him, and I feel discouraged because there is a fear of failure in me. And many times, this kind of situation can paralyze all of us. Then I understand that God doesn’t look at our success but at our attitude in doing something. Many times we don’t do something because we fear that we won’t succeed or do it in a perfect way. And I fear that I won’t achieve the normative. This is the “normative” or the “standard” we have for what a good believer, according to our standards, would do. I think that those who are really walking with Christ have a higher standard or norm of FEAR OF FAILURE 10 what a believer should do than the rest of the people. That’s why this struggle, or the fear of failure, is represented mainly in those who believe, as they really give importance to what God requires from them and thus, setting higher goals to achieve, they also fear that they will not be able to achieve them. When I fear that I won’t be able to achieve the level required from me, I freeze up. But God doesn’t look at that. Sometimes we can even fail. He doesn’t care if we are going to always win. I mean that even if it sounds unusual, this is not the main thing in which He is interested, and He won’t be mad at us if we lose a battle while at the same time having the sincere desire to win it. I also say this because many times we picture the victory in our mind, and we get an idea of what a success and victory might be, but this is not always the right way of looking at it. The real victory might not be what we imagine it to be. It is important, however, to do what we have to and to take a step toward what God wants us to do. God doesn’t look at how good you are in doing something, but at how much you acknowledge your weakness in front of Him. Many times, we can also lose in our own sight but be winners in His. The people today want always to be first, to succeed in every area, to be perfect. When we see that and we see ourselves weak or incapable, we fear. And I am not speaking about achieving our own desires or purposes but following the will of God when He places in us a desire to do something. His will is obviously also good for us and shall provide all the things we need in life. This will is based on following day-by-day what He wants us to do. It might be to approach someone and share with him the good news or do whatever else has to do with God and His glory.