Devotion: How to Fall and Rise Again

 

“Grace means that all of your mistakes now serve a purpose instead of serving shame.” ~Mike Rusch, Sobriety by the Grace of God

When the music begins at the Winter Olympics, skaters glide onto the smooth surface effortlessly. They gain speed and seem to float effortlessly into double axels and triple lutzes. For a moment, they sail through the air. They land on one skate with unparalleled grace. Their precise turns, techniques, and transitions are integrated into stunning beauty.

But sometimes a skater falls. The crowd utters compassionate sighs. The skater quickly rises and glides back into mesmerizing spins and well-rehearsed jumps. It’s painful to see them fall, but we cheer them on when they get back up.

The athletes who make it to the Olympics have trained for a decade or two. What if we could peel back time and watch their years of discipline? We would notice their mistakes are part of their training ground.

Are you hurt?

How quickly do you get up?

How do you respond with your attitude?

How do you overcome your fear of falling again?

What do your mistakes teach you?

Sports psychologists coach athletes in how to work through factors that affect performance. Mistakes become a tool to equip them to improve their skill. They are taught a key element of falling: how to handle it.

Falling is inevitable.  Our response to falling is crucial.

The difficulty is that when we fall, two songs start playing in our minds. One contains lyrics of truth and the other may feel true, but it’s made of lies. Our response to our mistakes or sins is rooted in these truths or lies.

When we fall, the lies of shame shout:

You are not worth it.

You will never belong.

You will never be good enough.

You just need to work harder.

You are such a mistake.

You will never get it right.

When we believe the lies, we are serving shame. We are participating in the plans of the enemy. Shame discourages, destroys, and depletes.

I know how easy it is to listen and believe the lies of shame. I get it. Shame was a stronghold for me that only God himself could demolish. I have to be mindful of it because I know how it still wants to take me down. Shame also feeds the fear of not belonging. It’s wise to know the accusatory tone of your enemy, the one who’s always waiting to give you the shame talk.

When we abide in him, he fills us with truth—not the world’s truth, but his truth. He renews our minds continually with his song of grace.

Grace allows us to hold our heads high when we make mistakes. It nourishes our identity in Christ. It feeds hope because it comes with compassion. Grace encourages us, builds us up, and replenishes us.

When we mess up, the God of grace whispers:

I love you with an everlasting love.

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Be strong and courageous.

Be still and know that I am the Lord your God who saves you.

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Cast all your cares on me and I will sustain you.

My peace I give you.

Lord, there are sometimes two songs we hear. Open our ears to hear the melody of truth. Help us to recognize your voice. Father, I ask that you convict us when we are serving shame. We want to be women of grace. Empty us of ourselves and fill us with your truth. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid.” (Genesis 50:20-21 NIV)

Reach for More

This week’s challenge is to pay attention to the song you are hearing. Ask God to tune your ears to hear the voice of truth. Ask him to show you the ways you are serving shame as well as the ways you are serving grace. When you make a mistake, ask God to open your eyes to see that it is a training ground. He is always there to encourage us to get back up. He longs to pour out his grace to turn our mistakes into his good purposes. He is true to his Word, trustworthy and faithful.

Please come back and leave a comment telling us how God spoke to you this week, or share your progress on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore. We would love to hear the refrain of truth God spoke to you this week!

Terri Fullerton is a wife, empty-nest mom, and mentor who loves stories of redemption and things that are funny. She is currently working on her first book. Terri longs to encourage others to find hope and freedom through her writing about faith, family, hiking, and mental health at Conversations at the Table.