God does not need our perfection. Such striving undermines his grace and reinforces our self-sufficiency. Instead, God receives the humble, whom he will exalt at the appropriate time (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). In our failures, we trust that God will fulfill his purposes for us according to his steadfast love (Psalm 138:8).

Most of us love excellence and striving for perfection. We want our surgeon to be the best in the country. We want our professors to be at the top of their field. We want Olympic athletes to set new world records. We want to look as good as possible, aided by makeup, dyes, whitening agents, exercise, and beauty filters. We want our homes spotless and organized.

We are also surrounded by people and institutions that reinforce this culture of excellence. These voices tell us to get another degree, climb the next rung on the corporate ladder, add another bullet to your résumé. Success is everything; failure is not an option.

An unexpected battle cry in our modern world has become, “Do better!” Better technology to improve our lives. More institutional accountability and corporate responsibility. A relentless pursuit of self-improvement. Excellence, success, and constant progress have become the holy trinity of high achievers.

But what happens when we don’t measure up? What if I flat-out fail? What if I disappoint myself and fall short of even adequate? What then?

Perfectly Impossible

We might begin by remembering that, as sinners by nature, we are all well acquainted with failure.

While God commands, “Be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45), we fall short of his glory (Romans 3:23). We don’t measure up. We don’t naturally obey or do his will. We cannot grit our teeth to get it all right. We don’t overcome sin with sheer willpower and determination. We are not perfect. We need grace.

Our imperfection reminds us of our need for Christ’s perfection. We need his righteousness on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). Outside of him, falling short is who we are and what we do. We cannot in our strength please God (Hebrews 11:6). Our imperfections preach that we need God.

Disappointment is an undeniable aspect of life in our fallen world. We plant gardens that get devoured by disease, bugs, rodents, and deer. Or we tackle work projects that end in spectacular failure. Or we memorize, rehearse, and study only to fail. We disappoint ourselves and others. We don’t measure up to our own standards. This is life in a fallen world. And it should remind us that we are not God; he is. Even when failure comes through no fault of our own, it can remind us that we are sinners, and we fall short. He alone is perfect, and we need his grace.

Alongside this fundamental reminder, however, God has more to teach us when we don’t measure up. Consider some other lessons we can learn from failure.

1. God shows his power through our weakness.

The apostle Paul was caught up to the third heaven and beheld unspeakable glories, yet God gave him a thorn to keep him from becoming arrogant (2 Corinthians 12:2–4, 7). This was no mere bout of sleeplessness or minor back pain, but rather a torturous thorn—a messenger of Satan that harassed and harangued. This pain pierced as if from the pit of hell.

Yet the thorn was from God to accomplish his good purpose in Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God makes his people weak to display his strength and power. We are allergic to failure and weakness. We beg God to make us strong. We ask him to renew our strength so we might run and not be weary (Isaiah 40:31). Yet God may answer such a prayer by revealing our weaknesses and limitations. Paul’s thorn displayed God’s all-surpassing greatness in a way Paul’s strength otherwise couldn’t do.

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