How do failures lead to success?

Have you not seen people who were seemingly what the world calls stupid and who suddenly developed a certain genius and brilliancy that was remarkable? 

Those people simply became conscious of themselves. The keynote of their being was touched and they recognised themselves. Again, you see people who as children gave promise of such wonderful things and who were quite commonplace as they grow older. They have raised a barrier between themselves and the Universal Source of All-knowledge—it may be by selfishness—or it may be by intellectual pride—or pride of wealth, but the light of true understanding has been obscured for a time. 

Thus we see that all men are equal and each one has just the opportunity he needs for his unfoldment if he will only make use of it. 

Some people, however, consider their stepping-stones as very great misfortunes. They resist instead of overcoming and mastering conditions, and after a lifetime of resistance and misunderstanding wonder why life is a failure.

A mind that is free from fear soon becomes one with the Universal and manifests its all-powerful qualities.

—Ione in Spirit