LEARN AS YOU GO

A recent home project that I thought would be rather simple turned out to be an education in “trial and error” — a phrase used countless times — and it suddenly occurred to me what the second half of that equation actually means. It means that in the learning process there will be errors: mistakes, mishaps, shortfalls, unmet projections, and disappointing outcomes.

You might be thinking, "Duh"; I guess the statement really is obvious. But it occurred to me that I have a tendency to want to learn by trial and success.  I want things to work the first time I try so that I can be done with it and move on.

Think about it: How much more productive you could be if everything worked as planned. How much more efficient your life would be if nothing ever backfired. However, this is not how God set it up. His plan is that you learn through a process that isn't always easy and is rarely painless. But the results are always worth it.

David wrote, "My troubles turned out all for the best — they forced me to learn from your textbook." (Psalm 119:71, The Message)

Disappointing results and failed expectations are a fact of life — but they serve you well. They spur you forward, challenging you to try again; forcing you to learn the principles God wants you to live by.
 
So until your current trial-and-error projects become successful, keep your eye on the goal and continue to sharpen your aim. You're learning as you go.

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