What If You Stumble?

As you walk the Christian path, you will eventually stumble and fall. But it is not how or why you stumbled that matters; it is what you do next.

When You Stumble and Fall

On this journey of life, you will stumble and fall along the path. It’s not a matter of if but when. Even the greatest saints and heroes of the church had times when they struggled. But how can you prepare for those falls?

The primary goal, of course, is to prevent yourself from stumbling again. In John 8:11, Jesus told the adulterous woman, “Now go and sin no more.” But do you think He actually expected her to be sinless? Of course not.

Beyond simply avoiding sin, you can also prepare yourself by planning what to do next when you do stumble. Having a plan for handling mistakes prevents them from sending you backward, and instead, allow them to become an opportunity to grow.

The Next Step

The next step you take after stumbling is the most important. Handling your missteps matters more than what first caused you to stumble.

Do not get stuck in your failures. The greatest temptation you face after stumbling is to not get back up again - staying on the ground as you wallow in self pity and shame.

Even if you get up, taking another step forward may seem impossible. You’re stuck. Fear prevents you from moving forward and may even cause you to never take any step at all.

And the worst option is stepping backward. Because you fear stumbling again, you get up but take steps in the wrong direction, and your faith slips as you feel unworthy of moving forward.

But God still loves you.

Get up, dust yourself off, and take a step forward. Trust that God will use your missteps as opportunities to gain wisdom and grow in faith. Your failures do not define you.

Overcoming Failure

The song “What If I Stumble?” by DC Talk inspired this post (showing my age here). In that song, the band feared they would stumble in the spotlight. They’ve inspired millions on their journey of faith, but any misstep they make is public. Every struggle is open to the world.

As I commit myself to writing again, I fear stumbling as well (even on this much smaller stage). And as I shared in a recent YouTube video, failure almost prevented me from continuing this ministry.

But despite my past, despite my failures, I am here, and I am taking steps forward to share what I have learned with others. I trust God has a plan and a purpose for my life. My failures have become my mission, and my tears have become my voice.

You can learn and grow from your mistakes and missteps as well. See them as opportunities to trust more in God than in yourself.

Sin is a reality. You will stumble. Avoid sin, but accept you will sin again. Only then can you prepare yourself for what steps come next.