Lessons from Lincoln

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday. We are very familiar with the successes of Lincoln such as him being elected the 16th President of the United States. We read about his leadership during the Civil War that America endured as well as the major role he played in the abolition of slavery in our country. We are also acquainted with some of his famous speeches in which he challenged the nation to persevere and seek a solution to end the terrible war that was dividing our country. One of the most famous speeches would certainly be the Gettysburg address which was delivered on one of the bloodiest battlefields of the Civil War. Earlier today I read some very interesting biographical material that reminds us that President Lincoln also endured his share of setbacks, difficulties and dare I use the word, failures.

"Based on his past record of failures, Abraham Lincoln had no right to think he could win the presidency of the United States. But that didn't keep him from trying, consider this: Abraham Lincoln failed in business at age 21; was defeated in a legislative race at age 22; failed again in business at age 24; overcame the death of his sweetheart at age 26; had a nervous breakdown at age 27; lost a congressional race at age 34; lost a congressional race at age 36; lost a senatorial race at age 45; failed in an effort to become vice-president at age 47; lost a senatorial race at age 47; but was elected president of the United States at age 52!"

Abraham Lincoln proved to be a great success in his ability to take failure and turn it into a success. It is possible that we could define/describe him as a successful failure.

I truly believe that we can learn valuable lessons from President Lincoln's failures as well as his successes. Mr. Lincoln chose not to be defined by his failures. His tenacity to keep reaching for his goals in life caused him to reach for success even as he moved through his failures. This post is not about "glorifying failure" but it is about reminding each of us that we must choose whether or not that we will allow our failures to define us or whether we will use those failures as stepping stones that will end in success. I have been taught valuable lessons from failure. I have been taught humility, remorse and to accept assistance from others just to name a few of the lessons. I have also seen my "pride" revealed to me as I leaned on my own abilities rather than the abilities of God to lead me to a proper and correct decision. 

Philippians 3:12-14, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (NIV)

Each of us must keep reaching for those things of God that are in front of us. We must continue to move toward the prize and realize that we do not have to be defined by our failures. God has not given up on us and neither should we give up on our selves!!