Learning from Failure

According to The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird, failure is a key to effectiveness. The authors explain that we learn from our missteps. “Failure is a critical element of effective learning, teaching, and creative problem solving. Mistakes teach us to focus on the specific task of determining why the attempt at hand failed. Effective failure is an important, positive . . . step toward success.”

In today’s reading, we see that Moses obediently did what God called him to do. And the Israelites’ initial response had been positive: They believed and worshiped (4:29–31). But Pharaoh apparently hadn’t gotten the memo. He refused to grant Moses’ request and responded by accusing the Israelites of laziness and doubling down on their harsh treatment (5:6–9). His intent was to crush their spirits and turn them against Moses and Aaron (5:21; 6:9).

Had Moses failed? Yes, from a human perspective, this outcome appeared to be a total face plant. But God had already said this was how Pharaoh would respond, so (from God’s perspective) events were proceeding precisely according to His plan (4:21–23). Perhaps God’s purpose in this seeming misstep was to impress upon Moses the enormity of the task, giving him all the more reason to depend on the Lord. It would not simply be a matter of marching into the palace and demanding, “Let my people go!” It seems that God also wanted Moses to see the fickleness of the Israelites and how difficult his job of leading them would be. Ultimately, in the course of these confrontations Moses’ faith and bold trust in the Lord would grow, leading to even more glory for God when all was said and done.

Pray with Us

Our prayer today, Lord, is that like Moses in today’s devotional, we’ll be faithful to our calling and won’t be discouraged by setbacks. Help us see them as the reason to depend on you. Thank you, Lord, that you have a plan and a calling for our lives!

BY Brad Baurain

Dr. Bradley Baurain is Associate Professor and Program Head of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Moody Bible Institute. Bradley has the unique privilege of holding a degree from four different universities (including Moody). He has just published his first book, On Waiting Well. Bradley taught in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada. Bradley and his wife, Julia, have four children and reside in Northwest Indiana.