Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to {His} purpose.” 

This verse is often misquoted and misapplied. First of all, there appears to be a condition to be met for this principle to be true. It doesn’t say this is true for all those who claim to be Christians, but to those who love God. So we must define what loving God is so we know who qualifies. 

John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” 

This verse is very specific. If you love God, you are obedient to what He says (be a doer, in lieu of a hearer who is deluded James 1:22). This is because God is a covenant God and we abide in Him and in His covenant when we are obedient. This makes Him Lord in our lives and gives Him permission and control so He can cause all things to line up to protect, strengthen and bless. 

1 John 3:24 “And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” 

In the natural, we fail not by making mistakes, but by not learning from our mistakes. The Holy Spirit can show us the error of our way so we can change and avoid the same mistake again. This experience will make us stronger and smarter and better prepared for the future. 

We fail when we don’t listen and don’t respond properly when the errors we make are pointed out. If we get defensive and “bull headed”, refusing counsel or changing where God may want us to change, we won’t benefit by the lesson and will not grow or be stretched. Our mistakes become failures, as we are no better for them.

Proverbs 24:16 “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in {time of} calamity.” 

Notice that when the righteous gets up, it is the eighth attempt – eight is the symbol of new beginnings, new things. When we don’t get up or change, our stumbling will continue and we will not be prepared for every eventuality in the future.