Oh Lord, I have failed (You) again… How many times have you said that within yourself? For me, it is just one more time this morning. It’s not the same as 25 years ago when my failures were of a different kind, but I am still human and despite wanting to be perfect, perfect I am not. But I no longer believe these are genuine ‘failures’ so much as ‘fallings’. We are human and are prone to stumbling and falling because of our sinful human nature*.
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Pr. 24:16
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Jam.
Notice it is the believer, the just or righteous man who falls. What? We can still fall? Yep, according to scripture we can, and do. Many men of God fell and it is recorded: David, Elijah, Abraham, Jonah, Peter, Paul. Notice also it is the wicked that fall and don’t get up, but the just man ‘riseth up again’. Why are we able to rise again? Because the Creator of all the universe is our Father and He will lift us up whenever we humble ourselves before Him.
Failure is not falling; failure is not getting back up and trying again. I always tell people who are struggling with bad habits such as biting nails, smoking and such, just keep trying to quit. Even when you keep restarting the bad habit, eventually you may stop for good, but you won’t know unless you keep trying. If you give up trying, you will surely fail to change. And where our ‘trying’ is limited, we can count on a great and mighty God to help us up to try again. He is willing to help. "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Php. 1:6)
Thomas A. Edison, who invented the electric light bulb and other great inventions, has some good quotes. Here are a few:
“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time.”
And so today, I will try again to follow the Lord completely like I want to do, knowing that I am unlikely to accomplish it perfectly, but knowing He will not give up on me. If I fall yet again, I will pull myself back up with His helping hand. My Lord has never given up on me and that is why I am certain He loves me. He will continue His work in me until He returns to bring me home- to Him.
Thank You Lord for Your patience.
*1 John. 1:8; Rom.