What are you afraid of? What makes you anxious?

Having a fear is not something I like to admit, but if I have to be honest with myself it will be the fear of failure. I do not like to be known as someone who failed. It may sound simple but what does the fear of failure actually entails?

I believe the answer to that question will be different for every person. To determine whether I have failed will depend on how I measure my success? Is it meausred by money, people’s expectations, status, or by God’s view? I think we all know what the right answer should be, but is that how we measure ourselves?

For a very long time I have measured my success based on people’s expectations. I might have done something which I believe I did to the best of my abilities and I would be satisfied, but then someone else might look at what I have done and have a negative opinion about my work. That negative opinion immediately makes me feel like a failure, because I did not measure up to that person’s expectations. In that instance I completely ignored the fact that I did my best and whether or not God was pleased with what I have done.

In another instance I would look at my own life and be happy, but then when I turn my focus to someone else who I consider to be more successful and who has everything going for them, I would find myself feeling less. I would immediately question my happiness and begin to consider myself as not measuring up compared to my comparison. What have I done wrong? I compared myself to someone else who is not even part of the race I needed to complete for my life.

My fear of failure caused me to look at people’s opinions and lives instead of who I am and what I am meant to do.

I had a choice to make and so do you, What am I going to do about my fear? Am I ready to fight it or give in?

God’s plan for everyone is unique and my success cannot be measured based on someone else’s expectation of me as they are not the author of my life. My success can also not be measured by someone else’s life as I am not supposed to run anyone else’s race except my own. There is no point in comparing. The only benefit I should get from that is to become motivated to become what God meant for me to be.

The Bible is very clear on God’s definition of success. Genesis 39:2, “The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.” (NKJV)
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Joseph had no money or status at that time but he was successful and everything he did was successful because Jesus was with him. The same applies to me and you, it does not matter what we do, because by having God with us we start off as a success before doing anything and we are enabled to continue in it. People’s opinion cannot change that, but we have to accept it and believe it.

Galatians 1:10 also says, “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” (‭NLT‬‬)

Once this truth is realised, the fear of failure as a result of people’s opinions become less and less intimidating.

Jesus was the perfect example who did not measure Himself based on other people’s opinions. He only did what pleased God, even if it meant being rejected by His own people. Jesus is the personification of good success. He was always aware of God with Him, He stayed true to His calling on earth and spent all the time needed to love His people, even though did not love Him back.

If you have a fear of failure as a result of people’s opinions or their success, I challenge you to give yourself a break. Just look at yourself and see yourself as successful because Jesus is with you. The fear of failure cannot stand against the presence of Jesus, just believe it!