Failure Is Not Final

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” - Isaiah 43:18-19
 
 
It was 2008 at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Expectations were high for the US track team. They earned 8 gold medals, 12 silver medals, and 5 bronze medals at the 2004 games in Athens. Nearing the end of the the Men’s 4x100 relay race, the US track team was in the lead and victory appeared in sight.  
 
The trouble occurred between the third and final leg when Darvin Patton, the third runner, dropped the baton before Tyson Gay, the final runner, was able to grab it. Although Gay said he failed to grab the baton, Patton took the blame because he said it was his responsibility to make sure Gay had the baton.  
 
Although the 2004 Olympics were commercially successful, the 2008 Olympics were deemed a commercial failure. Dreams were deferred and plans were put on hold. But that was not the end.
 
In 2008, Patton was shaking his head and hoping for better days. However, in 2013, he ran 6.50 seconds in the 60-m race, which was a world record for over-35 athletes. What he deemed as failure was a period to learn and grow, and the same applies for you as well. God can turn your situation around and give you hope for a better future. If you fail 7 times, get up 8 and remember that your failure is not final.