Tag: Fail

Failing in professional settings is now seen as opportunities to improve.  There’s a good professional discussion on the mantra Fail Forward.  There’s also more than one article parsing through the rhetoric to expose that a simple phraseology is not the cure for everything. While the phrase and concept have had some success in professional settings there is something to be noted about the concept in spiritual settings as well.  We are here to learn from failure. Paul said in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  Failure is a part of our human existence.  If the fail fast, fail often can work (even with the mantra’s flaws) to get Space-X to new heights applying the mantra spiritually should enable us to get to new heights. This doesn’t mean we should go out and find new ways to fail.  I think it means that we should take the time to find new opportunities for us to improve.  While we have Paul’s words on our failure in the New Testament, we have these words in the Book of Mormon (emphasis added):

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Ether 12:27

In this section not only do we have an explanation of the purpose of our weaknesses that often lead us to fall short, but we also have a description of the pathway to improve and the promise that our weaknesses will be turned into strengths if we are humble enough to involve God’s help. Fail forward is a great phrase in many, but not all, settings professionally.  It also has some application in our lives from a spiritual stand point.  If we exercise humility and allow ourselves to rely upon the mercies and merits of Jesus Christ, we can become strong in the thing where we are weak.