Is the significance of your spiritual life based more in your successes or your failures?

Question

For myself, my life is a catelogue of failures, and nothing more. I am a failed artist, a failed writer, a failed partner, a failed friend, even a failed socialist. In time, I think the resume of life that we have to look at becomes our basis for relating to things spiritual.

God, it seems, pays attention to the success stories, not life's failures. Were it not for my failures I wouldn't be conspicuous at all. This, however, is no spiritual enhancement, or credit to any deity.

What about you? Do you have successes that God has shined his light upon? Do you perhaps feel the credit for them is due him? When you can count your successes on earth, does this equate to successes in Heaven....or even the means of reaching Heaven?

Not the best constructed question, I know, but I am running low on inspiration---even negative inspiration.

Answer 1

My favorite cliche here would be "It's always darkest before the dawn" - then I am reminded of the theological idea of the long dark night of the soul - described by the 16th century St. John of the Cross. I believe that Mother Teresa referenced this in her letters that described her feelings of emptiness and aloneness. I realize that optimism sounds like either naitivitee or Bulls*it - but nonetheless....

Answer 2

I can only relate. I was a castaway from the start, by my friends, classmates, society in general. Even the churches.
All of these experiences have made me cleave to G-d alone.
So much of the world is based in the ego of success and failure.
Calvinism would beg to differ and the prosperity doctrine, and the caste system.
If you read the teachings you may see that the last shall be first and the first shall be last.
Those who hunger in this life shall have everlasting fullness in the next, and so on.
This is the material plane, where the prince of the power of the air has reign. Follow the truth and expect failure in this world, but not in the eyes of G-d.

Answer 3

My Spiritual life is not my personal achievements. My Spiritual life is through the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Personal achievements are through education. Personal achievements are through not giving up when things start getting hard. Inspiration comes with the drive to do, not the drive to quit.
There is a separation of the two. When you have done everything you can, still failing, ask the Lord if you believe and He will help. Keep the faith. When you have did all you can do, just stand and wait on the Lord.

Answer 4

Hi there.
Yes - this question is not easy to answer in short, but if you have time to read - there it is.

I base it on my own mesuare of Happiness.
I failed in many things in my life too, mainly my personal life opposing to career. I don't really dwell much on my failures, though I get upset, yes, even cry, and in the morning look in the mirror, get disgusted with the look of my swolen face and get on with life.
Career wise - yes I was successful many times but didn't find happiness in my successes. As a kid went to be a panist, went to musical school for 5 years, was the best of the class, winner in competitions, but... was not happy, dropped it.
Finished University with honours, could go to genetic engineering, but didn't, instead was successful in horse racing & breeding, was not happy.
Moved to Africa 16 years ago, learned to speak English in about half a year quite well without any courses (used movies, books, talking with people). Was successful in Dairy business, developed some kind of special way with animals (I don't know why, think I always had that thing), was fought over by different dairy owners (could raise the heifers like no-one could, loved them like my own children), was not happy in that carreer either.
Now, being not so young and my body does not support active sort of life any more, thought - hell, I'd better get some chair job. Struggled for half a year without job, having no degrees, nor certificates in that career, created my own company, became a graphic designer (still have it as a hobby), but then strange things started. At the same time I've been in search for my spiritual choise (I was an atheist - was not happy). And about at the time I've made my choise of a spiritual way - I got a job as a senior accountant in a company, where I am now. I am puzzled about it most because never since I remember myself I have ever liked math, figures, logic, etc. In Accounts I am self-taught having done books of my own company. But present job is a big and very responsible one, and I always lacked in self-esteem, but now I manage - I don't know how.
My pay was increased, and yes, I say I am successful there.
Everything I need to do - just comes to me in my head, but I have never prayed in my life for anything. I even sometimes dream about a problem and solve it in a dream, and the next morning go go work and do what I couldn't. (reminds me of some strange experiences I have, but that is reserved for a question I will ask, becasue I want to know if people have similar)
I don't really pay much attention to all these happenings just take it as it comes. So, now I can say that I am happy in my carreer choise and don't plan to change it, but is it everything in life? Strangely - I am still restless about something I don't know what, and I don't know why it is so.
So see - it's happiness for me, though I've known depression as well. It never really occured to me that God has something to do with my failures or successes, it just is. (my faith is to learn as much from mistakes if I can, or if I can't - forget it and just go on and see what happens next) I believe that nothing is a waste and that there is no bad without good and vice-versa, and there is always turns for everyone. If you went through life with turn for failures - wait and see, your successes just aroung the corner.
But my opinion about credits is:
One's biggest credit is when one had hard life and learned much, failures give you more chance to earn credits, easy success is no big deal. After all I believe that we learn what we must and credit given to us by HOW we go on with what we have.

Answer 5

the significance of your spiritual life is entirely dependant upon your faith whether you succeed or fail. I believe the prophet Jeremiah was told to prophesy over his land and for 40 years he did not have a single conversion! But he still did what he was told.

Answer 6

I feel I make my own successes and there is no one to blame but myself for my failures.

Take responsibility for yourself instead of placing your life in the hands of a god that doesn't exist.

Answer 7

Hello, Jack:

My faith is based on evidences in God's Word, as well as His working personally in my life. And yes, I've seen many successes and failures.

One truth that strengthened my faith in Jesus as the Messiah is in the "sealed" Bible code. See www.abiblecode.com

Shalom, peace in Jesus, Ben Yeshua

Answer 8

Sorry, Jack, my life's just a catalog of experiences, some positive, some negative, but most damnably neutral.

My spiritual life is based on the sum of all kinds of experiences, not one kind.

Answer 9

I think you're a very successful friend, writer and artist :)

There's still time for being a successful partner :)

Socialist...Well, maybe that's a good failure? ;)

((((((Jack))))))

Answer 10

It is both. All things come from the Father.