How long does it take us to slip? How long does it take for one to fall back? It only takes a second. One choice, one instant where we take our eyes off the Lord and it happens. It is kind of like when we are walking along the sidewalk, taking in all around us and we stub our shoe on a crack. We don't look forward to what is happening, we always look back. We don't look at ourselves, we look at that crack and blame our stumble on it. When in fact, it wasn't that crack that made us stumble, it was our mistake. We were not paying attention to where we were going, so in an instant of taking our eyes off our walk, we stumble before we know it.There are a lot of holes out there, there are a lot of cracks, and many bumps along the way for us to cause us to fall. Have you ever noticed, whenever we fall we make excuses for that blunder? We either blame it on the crack, the shoes we are wearing that day, or maybe even someone else who came along and gave us a push. Isn't it always easier to point the blame to someone else? Then in fact we can take that excuse and run with it, making ourselves feel as though we did nothing to cause our own fall.
It is not ever easy to take a look at ourselves and admit we have messed up. But to walk with Jesus, that is the very thing we need to do. He plants the path for us, He has pointed us in the right direction, but He gives us a choice of whether we stay on that path, or we go off on our own. And it is usually when we decide to go off on our own when we misstep and fall.
When we simply take our eyes off Jesus we not only stumble, but we lose sight of what is really true. When we take our eyes off Him we are no longer seeing through His eyes, but we are looking through our worldly goggles, and with those on, things sure don't look the same. We can begin to look at our circumstances and feel that our choices are the right ones, when our very heart is telling us it is wrong. We just seem to push the thoughts of Christ away further, soaking in our own fleshly thoughts.
Have you been there my friend? I have. I have wallowed in my own self pity so long I lost sight of what was right in front of me. We can get lost in our own thoughts so much, we take our eyes off of what is real and meaningful. We can begin to look to others and just blame things upon them.
As I use to tell my children, when we are in the midst of bad decisions, it is like being in a hurricane. We are in the middle, the eye of the hurricane, and in the eye we can't see the storm brewing around us, but those on the outside can see the storm clearly. They are trying to reach in and help, pulling you out of the storm, but since you cannot see it, you don't take their hand, you stand right there in the midst of those very decisions drowning.
Maybe you have made some wrong choices lately, or maybe you are the friend watching another fall from grace. We are not defined by our mistakes, it is over coming them that brings praise to God. Yesterday is past and today is a new day, a new beginning. Reach out to Him, let the words of that friend soak in your heart. Take those goggles off you have been wearing, and once you do you will begin to see clearly again, just as I am.
Humble pie doesn't taste so bad when you know it is just what the doctor is calling for. In fact, crow is sometimes eaten three times a day. Its okay to admit we are not perfect, because we never will be until heaven, when we are in the presence of Jesus. It is okay to just be ourselves, to admit our struggles is the first step to healing.
This girl has stubbed her toe many times, and I still do. But praise Jesus, He is there when I fall and when I get up! He sees what is up ahead, He is guiding my every move. I am learning everyday in my walk with Him. I praise Him for showing me something new everyday. Have you fallen? Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, don't look back, just raise your head and look up!
The path might be covered with cracks, we might be worried we will slip or fall, but Jesus can show us the right path, He can lead us in such a way that we will see those cracks and our eyes will be wide open knowing what to look for to trip us up and giving us the wisdom to go a different route.
Philippians 4:13 " I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."
Psalm 25:4-5 "Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long."
