By Friday, you’ve had enough time to think about the things you tried this week… and the things you probably shouldn’t have tried. And since my whole theme lately has been “things I tried and failed at,” Friday feels like the perfect day to talk about the after‑effects of those attempts.
You know, the wisdom that shows up after the embarrassment fades.
When I was young, I tried all kinds of things I had no business attempting. Basketball was just the beginning. I tried climbing trees that were clearly not designed for climbing. I tried jumping fences that were clearly not designed for jumping. I tried running races against kids whose legs looked like they were manufactured by a different company than mine.
And every time, I learned something.
Sometimes I learned physics. Sometimes I learned humility. Sometimes I learned that gravity is undefeated. And sometimes I learned that pain is a very effective teacher.
But here’s the funny part: by Friday, those failures start looking less like disasters and more like stories. They turn into memories you can laugh about. They turn into lessons you can pass on. They turn into wisdom you didn’t know you were earning at the time.
Failure doesn’t feel wise when you’re in it. It feels awkward. It feels frustrating. It feels like you should probably avoid eye contact with anyone who witnessed it.
But give it time, give it a few days, give it a few years, and suddenly you realize God was shaping you through every misstep.
He wasn’t mocking you. He wasn’t disappointed in you. He wasn’t shaking His head thinking, “Really? Again?” He was teaching you.
Teaching you resilience. Teaching you humility. Teaching you humor. Teaching you that your worth isn’t tied to your success rate.
So on this Friday, here’s my encouragement: Look back at the things you tried and failed at, and smile. They didn’t break you. They didn’t define you. They didn’t disqualify you. They helped build the person you are today.
And honestly, some of them make for pretty great stories.
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