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Introduction

In life, you will fail. You will be faced with insurmountable obstacles. You will be tempted by sin and let your focus drift away from God. But when we fail, what should our response be? Learn how to turn to God, even when you are face down on the floor.

The Fall

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

– Romans 8: 28 (NIV)

When we fail, our first response is to throw the baby out with the bath water. You can feel like everything you have been working at was all for nothing. But the bible makes it clear that we will face trouble (John 16: 33). And that God uses that failure for His ultimate purpose. As we know that all things work together For God’s good.

Therefore, we should strive to follow God’s word, but when we fail, we shouldn’t throw in the towel and keep on sinning. Or keep on chasing things that God does not intent for our lives. Don’t let the enemy turn you away from God or become discouraged over a miss step. If you stumble in your walk with God, it’s not over, it just means you need to get back up.

“though he may stumble, he will not fall,

for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”

– Psalms 37: 24 (NIV)

Get Up

The most successful people are not the people who never fail. They are the people that get back on the horse and keeps going. The most humble and godly people are not the people who relay on their own abilities and strength. Rather they know that if anything relied on them, that they would most likely fail every time. The saints know that they need to draw closer to God, and that God will work through them. Don’t rely on your own strength. When your strength fails you, trust in God’s.

“for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,

but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.”

– Proverbs 24: 16 (NIV)

In 1 Chronicles 21, David succumbed to temptation and decided to do a census of Israel. He wanted to know how many fighting men he had at his disposal. In short, he was focusing on the strength of men, instead of the strength of God. As a result of David’s actions, God sent a plague to Israel.

David found himself in terrible circumstances that was caused by his own actions. Moreover, the Israelites found themselves in terrible circumstances because of someone else’s actions. What was their response? Did they rage against David and God? Did David curse himself and fall into a depression? No. They faced the circumstances they were in honestly, they turned to God and asked what to do now?

When we fall or find ourselves in difficult situations. The temptation is to blame ourselves or others. To punish ourselves and to sit on the floor. How often do we say: “Well, this morning was terrible, so I’m just not going to try for the rest of the day. I already ate sugar today I might as well not go exercise. Well, I’m in this predicament because of them, so I bear no responsibility for what happens next.” God on the other hand says: “Yes you have fallen, but I will lift you up. Yes you have sinned, but I will redeem you. Yes you have wasted your potential, but I still have a plan for your life. I will use what others has done, for your ultimate good and for My glory. I am using these circumstances to strengthen you. So don’t give up. Get back up.”

“Do not gloat over me, my enemy!

Though I have fallen, I will rise.

Though I sit in darkness,

the Lord will be my light.”

– Micah 7: 8 (NIV)

You will eventually fall and find yourself in difficult circumstances. Either by your own doing or someone else’s doing. Now what are you going to do about it? Fall into despair and nasalism. Are you going to start punishing yourself? Or are you going to stand up like the daughter or son of God you are, bear your cross, and seek His glory?

Get Going

In the weight of glory, C.S. Lewis points out, that our failures are not due to too much desire. As we often think it is, but rather because we don’t have enough desire. We were made for a specific purpose and as such we will desire that purpose. What the world does, is it corrupts that desire by giving us feeble substitutions for it.

We were made for eternal relationship with God, for example, so the world offers us shallow relationships as a substitute. We were made for true joy, so the world offers alcohol. We were made to multiply and grow, so the world offers sexual gratification devoid of God’s intention. All, ultimately unsatisfying and corrupting of our original purpose.

What C.S. Lewis is pointing out here, is that we were not made Not To, but To Do. If your life journey is just about what you cannot do, and not about what you were made to do, you will become helpless when difficult circumstances come. Friedrich Nietzsche put it like this: “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” You need a why. You need a direction. You need to aim at something. Your reason why, will be the reason you keep going and keep overcoming. Not to become stagnant, but always heading heavenward.

In 1 Chronicles 21, after David went to God and confessed his sin. God gave him an aim. Go and build a altar. A place to sacrifice. Araunah wanted to give David everything he needed to build the altar including the offerings themselves.

“But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.”

– 1 Chronicles 21: 24 (NIV)

If something costs you nothing, it isn’t worth much in the end. But the things you are willing to sacrifice for. The things that sustain you through the trials and failures. Are the things you were called to. Only in accepting the sacrifice of Jesus, will you be saved. And only in becoming a living sacrifice to God, will you find the life you were called for. Only in sacrificing our own desires, and rising to the desires of God, will you become the person God wants you to be, despite your circumstances. Don’t look to the chaos around you, look at what God is doing in your circumstances. You can choose to invite the devil in and give up. Or you can choose to get up, look to God and make right sacrifices.

“6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

– Genesis 4: 6 – 7 (NIV)

Conclusion

The world is broken and so are we. We will fail and people will fail us. But that doesn’t mean it’s the end. The failure means nothing when you consider what God can do through those circumstances. God is still in control. Don’t Give up, seek God’s glory and sacrifice for His plan.

“16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

– 2 Corinthians 4: 16 -18 (NIV)

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John

Hi I'm John, a twenty something pastor dedicated to learning Theology and teaching it to everyone. That's why I'm here. Lets stick together, grow closer to God and escape the ordinary!

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