One of the scariest things I do each day is to put words on the Internet. These words are a precious gift and a vulnerable part of my heart. They are words that God shares with my heart and in my daily walk with Him. However, when put on the Internet for all to see, they can be misunderstood when read through the wrong light. They are judged in many ways by those who read them. I believe that the words we share have great power to build up as well as to tear down, and they are a stewardship from the Lord. Sharing in this space isn’t something I take lightly.

I received a comment from a reader recently that shook me. She said I had failed to teach on an area and because of that I had failed her and others. That word failed cut right to my core. My words failed someone. The message that I was sharing from my own experience didn’t meet their needs. Tears stung my eyes as that words sunk into my heart like a dagger. The enemy whispered right away into my heart, I had failed at doing what God called me to do.

I’ve always had a great fear of failure. The last thing I ever want to do is to disappoint someone. My fear of failure has often kept me in prison to people’s unrealistic expectations that can’t be reached. Why? Because I’m a human. I am flawed and limited. But I am also saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. My failures don’t have to be a discouragement or speed bump in ministry, because they are often the exact tools God uses in my own life and the lives of others to point to Jesus. When I fail, I see more clearly God never fails and He is the Giver of unlimited grace. I can’t do it all and speak into every single life because that isn’t my job. My role is simple and the same as everyone else’s: to follow Jesus, obey His commands, preach the Good News, and leave the rest up to the Lord.

The truth is, my messages and posts aren’t going to be able to speak to every single person. God is writing a unique story of redemption in the lives of every believer. We all walk through different circumstances and experience different areas of brokenness, but the Gospel is universal. That is the one thing that holds together every single one of our stories. God is taking broken pasts and mending them to be a useful tool for the kingdom. He is taking shame and regret and freeing women from bondage. He is uncovering what we hide from others in the depths of our souls by the light of the Gospel. Ultimately, my words will fail someone, because my words aren’t the answer. It is His Word that matters. It’s His Word and Story that patches up our broken hearts and cleanses our stained souls. 

We can’t look to other people to find the hope that only Jesus can give us. We have all “failed” and fallen short of God’s glory. But the hope we have is this: Christ Jesus never fails. He never falls short, and He gives us the hope of redemption from our past, present, and future. When our words fail, His Word never does. Cling to that Word, and let it shape the words that pour out of your mouth and your fingers.

clinging to His Word,

Gretchen