Romans 11:11-15 NKJV

[11] I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. [12] Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! [13] For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, [14] if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. [15] For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

I don't mind admitting that I am a slow learner. I can hear instructions and see something done, but I don't really "get it" until I do it myself. Most of the time, I get it wrong. I make mistakes, and I learn from them... eventually.

This learning process has brought me to where I am today. I have failed miserably, fallen on my face, and accepted being completely defeated. The point of total failure is exactly where I had to be before I recognized how much I needed the Lord. For me, I couldn't have really appreciated being found without being as lost as I was.

If all of those bad experiences are what it took to get me into the footsteps of Jesus, it was worth every moment spent in misery.