Purposed Driven devotional idea...(questions to answer).
Try this yourself!


• What has God taught me from failure?
  Patience. That failure just means I scratch that way of dealing with something off the list and try another way....so of -1000 possibilities I only have 999 left to try! :-) OR maybe it is something that isn't worth the time to deal with and I need to go on to something else more worthy of effort. For really important things- I ask for God's forgiveness – and for His help.
  

  What has God taught me from a lack of money?
  There are creative ways to make do and maybe even do better with what is at hand.
  What has God taught me from pain or sorrow or depression? That God can carry me through – if I let Him. It redirects me back to God when I've strayed. I've learned that after praying and the depression remains – that that is where God wants me right then and to feel that there is a purpose in even that – and accept it. Only because God is there is this do-able!

• What has God taught me through waiting?
• I'm not good at waiting so it taught me to find ways to use that waiting time. Have something to do; think about how to solve a problem or use it praying!

• What has God taught me through illness?
• Patience....though my main experience here is with my mom's illness.

• What has God taught me from disappointment? Sometimes this gives birth to patience. Sometimes it causes me to back up and try a different approach. Sometimes it makes me see things for what they really are and realize I can't change them. Ultimately, I learn that I need to put it in God's hands and try not to carry it around and weigh me down. All times I need God's help with this.
• What have I learned from my family, my church, my relationships, my small group, and my critics ?
• I've learned my strengths and weaknesses... that I am blessed regardless of what they are; that God has allowed me to acquire a certain amount of wisdom from the things that have not turned out the way I would have liked. Ironically, that gives failure - value. I try not to be too critical of others because I have my own shortcomings. If I can't forgive others – it's pretty hard to hope others would forgive me.