Get Back Up

"For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again." (Proverbs 24:16a)

My son, Michael, was 4 years old when he received his first bike. (That was a long time ago.) He did very well riding it (surprisingly). The training wheels were a big, big help (of course).

And there was something else Michael was learning at that time along with how to ride his bike. While he would be excitedly pedaling around, Michael was also discovering he could (and would) fall. It was an important lesson for a young boy to learn.

And riding a bike is much like living your life. (Isn't it?) I mean, one minute you're on top of the world confidently moving along checking out the scenery and the next thing you know ~ poof ~ you're lying flat on your back or side (or sometimes it's your face) on the ground.

The truth is there are a lot of people (including Christians) that have been lying in these positions (in their hearts) due to past failure ~ and some of them have been like this for years and years and years and years.

It's because when these people fell down ~ when they failed at something ~ rather than brushing themselves off and getting back up to ride again (like Michael long ago), these men and women have remained on the ground ~ they've remained wallowing in guilt and shame and self-pity over their past failures.

Dear friend, if this is you I need to remind you of something. That something is this. Every one of us fails. From the least to the greatest. There's not a single person in all the world who's immune to failure. We'll either sin or we'll do something less than that because failing is just a part of life. Much like falling down is a part of riding a bike. The difference between those people that go on after they fail and those that don't is those that go on get back up after they fall. They get back up! They don't just stay on the ground continually beating themselves over the head with what they've done wrong.

If you find yourself prone to having this happen, there are a couple of things you must do to be free. First, you need to ask God to forgive you. (If it's not a sin that's put you on the ground, then you need to simply admit and accept the fact that you're human.) Secondly, you need to forgive yourself. This is really the only way you can ever go on if you've failed.

The Lord doesn't want you to remain on the ground after you've fallen down. Get back up in Jesus' name and be free.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

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• God Rejoices Over Us
• Unconditional Love