Human development through failure

The attempt to be perfect has been described as the human being's most tragic mistake, of attempting to be God by trying to control life instead of coming to terms with mistakes and shortcomings. The paradox of human life is that one can envisage perfection but be unable to attain it. Spirituality demands, not that one be perfect, but that one is aware of the perfect while attempting, however imperfectly, to come to terms with one's own imperfections. The importance is in being aware of the question, not in formulating an answer, in knowing that one does not have all the answers. By accepting that one is unable to control every aspect of one's life one can find peace and serenity. The struggle with temptation and despair, the broken heart, the broken spirit, the suffering and tears, the failures and backslidings, the acceptance and coming to terms with these, it is through this means that the individual develops and becomes whole. St Paul, in particular, recognized that it was through his weaknesses that God was glorified and not through his strengths, and in general that it was those of little account in the world through whom God rejoiced to work (1 Corinthians 1 20, 27-29, 2 Corinthians 12 9-11).