When You Feel Like You’re Failing: A Note to Myself

I’ve been here before. That place where it feels like the hits just keep coming. One thing goes wrong, then another, and before I know it, I’m convinced I’m in a season of constant failure.

When I’m in that space, I lose sight of everything. I forget about God. I stop going to the gym. I drift from my goals, pull back from friends, and just kind of shut down. I stop praying. I stop reading. I stop trying. It’s like everything blurs and the only thing I can hear is my own head saying, “You’re not enough.”

Sometimes I really have failed. Other times it’s just a lie I’ve believed. I think I’m failing when I’m actually just tired, or overwhelmed, or not seeing the full picture. But either way, that weight sits on my chest. It feels real. Heavy. Personal.

Looking back, I can see a pattern. When my routine falls apart, I usually fall with it. I sleep less. I eat worse. I stop doing the things that help me stay grounded. When I let go of the structure, I lose the strength that comes with it.

But there have been times where I’ve done everything right. I stayed consistent. I stayed in the Word. I worked hard. I stayed disciplined. And even then, life hit me anyway. That’s the hardest part. When you do all the right things and still get knocked down. It makes you question everything.

In those moments, it’s hard to remember that God is still close. It’s hard to see purpose in the struggle. But deep down, I know that the only way through failure is to keep going. You learn. You get up. You move forward, even if it’s messy.

Chris Williamson said something that stuck with me. He said, “The magic you’re looking for is in the work you’re avoiding.” That one hits me hard. Because when I feel like a failure, the work is usually the first thing I quit. I avoid it. And then I wonder why nothing changes.

Another one of his quotes says, “Stop complaining about the results you didn’t get from the work you didn’t put in.” That’s harsh, but it’s fair. Most of the time, if I’m honest, I know I didn’t give it everything. I pulled back. I expected more than I earned.

But not always. Sometimes I did the work. Sometimes I gave it everything. And life still chose to knock me back a few steps. That’s when I have to remind myself that faith isn’t proven in the wins. It’s proven in the losses. When I get knocked down and keep going anyway, that’s where something deeper starts to grow.

So this is a note to myself. And maybe to you too.

When it feels like you’re failing, don’t trust your feelings. They’re loud, but they’re not always right.

Go back to the basics. Sleep. Pray. Move your body. Open your Bible. Text someone who knows you. Eat something decent. Take one step, then another. It doesn’t have to be big. Just don’t stop moving.

You’re not a failure. You’re just in a difficult chapter. And chapters end.

God’s not done with your story. Neither are you.