In April this year, I uttered the words I never expected to say: “I failed the exam.” I took a financial industry essentials exam for work, for which I invested five months of study preparation. God spoke to me following the disappointing news: “Don’t give up; I don’t create failures; all things are possible with me.” In the moment, the discouragement felt greater than my faith. However, I stand on the promise of Jesus, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible” (Matthew 19:26). The quest of obtaining my license has revealed the beauty of continued reliance on God’s tenacity and wisdom to learn how to strategically pass this test.
A journey is an unpredictable adventure between where you’ve been and where you are going. So the keyword to recognize is that any spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, or financial journey will be unpredictable. But take heart, my friend, God already lovingly shared with us: “The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see…” (Hebrews 11:1-3, MSG).
I am sure my husband can attest that I have become a Wolfette of Wall Street with all the flashcards, lectures, and textbooks I have studied! Throughout the process of studying, I have tapped into the resources God has blessed me with. Outside of learning materials provided by my job, I stepped out in faith to try new courses through my independent research. Presently, my purpose of bringing financial freedom and awareness to this generation is still in progress. I believe the next time I step into the testing center to retake the exam, I will succeed and achieve excellence. In the book of Daniel, God caused him to be ten times greater in knowledge than the men of the world when asked questions in the Bible. I know that the same ability to apply what I have studied will be active in my life.
I believe, in many moments of our endeavors, we often forget God is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20, NIV). In her No Woman Left Behind Guided Journal: A Journey to Breaking Up with Your Fears and Revolutionizing Your Life, Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts eloquently said, “Everyone faces trials, and everyone will mess up. But failure shouldn’t be the focus. Your focus should be not on who you were but rather on the pursuit of who you can become.”
Find joy in the processes that God allows in your life. Most importantly, let your becoming be greater than the obstacles you face.
