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From Luke’s Journal Sept 2025 | Vol. 30 No. 2 | Success-Failure

I love spending time with children. Their minds are imaginative, and they see potential in everything. Trying out ideas is exciting. Outcomes do not matter. The fun is in the process. The light bulb in this picture represents the limitless potential of ideas and what is in our heart.

At some point, children learn that outcomes matter more than the processes and ideas and actions are categorised – good or bad, successes or failures, worthwhile or a waste of time. The black background represents these significant external influences that challenge us.

The small spheres and hearts represent our innermost critical reflections, including the condition of our heart. Is our heart shining the light of Jesus? The Bible says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21 NIV).

As adults, is it too late for us to redefine success and failure? As parents, how do we help our children navigate success and failure during their growing years? As health professionals, how do we support those with less experience, our students and trainees, as they establish their definitions of success and failure as part of professional development? As followers of Christ and children of God, how do we make sense of success and failure? What are our guiding principles, and how do we live and work in this world but not be of this world?

In exploring success and failure in life, we very often ask for wisdom. The Bible highlights that the heart also plays an important role:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV).

“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” (Proverbs 27:19 NIV).

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b NIV).

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). 

Have you examined your heart lately?

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