Learning from Past Experiences

 

My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. (Proverbs 24:13-16 ESV).

 

I’ve come to appreciate the value of learning from past experiences, good and bad. Each of these is a means of gaining wisdom. I will admit it is always a bit more difficult to reframe failures as opportunities for growth; however, this is like honey. Solomon tells us that it is good and “sweet to your taste” (v. 13). I have come to see each of these experiences as good as they have profoundly shaped my understanding of resilience and perseverance.

 

Any of us are driven by the desire for perfection and consequently rarely find “success” in our experiences. A dear friend and mentor once told me, “Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of it.” That helped me to see mistakes not as dead ends but as steppingstones toward improvement and wisdom.

 

As you may know, I enjoy woodworking. Through the years I have built many different projects, some small and others large. If the material is wood, I am not intimidated from the project whatever the size might be. Several years ago, I decided to get back into wood turning. I had experimented with working with a wood lathe many years ago, but not owning my own lathe made continuing the practice near impossible. Acquiring a lathe and the tools that are necessary to use it for various projects was my first step. It was amazing how difficult it was to “pick it up again.” However, with each failure came more success as I changed my approach and technique with each project. I guess I knew I had succeeded when I finished a bowl and showing it to Mary, she said, “Is that for me?” To be honest, it wasn’t “for” anyone. I just enjoyed making it. Now, it sits prominently on our mantle. All the failures were steps leading to success.  

 

Learning from our mistakes means acknowledging them, seeking feedback, and making necessary adjustments. It involves humility and a willingness to change. By reframing failure, we can grow in resilience, deepen our trust in God’s guidance, and continue moving forward with hope. Sure wished I’d known that much earlier in my life!