As babies we learn to walk, and learning to walk also includes falling from time to time. Falling (though unfortunate) is a necessary part of learning, and everytime it happens we have to teach our kids to dust themselves off, get back up, and try again. Throughout our lives we are going to fall (or fail)... It sometimes hurts and can be painful, but it's necessary for us to learn, and it's important that when it happens that we learn from our mistakes, dust ourselves off, and try again. As one of my sweet friends pointed out, as parents it can be much easier said than done to allow our kids to make mistakes and learn from them. This is so true! I'm sure God feels the same way about watching us (his children) fall, but He knows it's necessary for us to grow and so it has to happen.
As a homeschooling mama, it's very hard to watch James not do something right and not correct him right away. As his teacher and his mom, I've become really good at knowing his struggles exactly, and I can usually look at a lesson and be able to tell beforehand exactly where he's going to have problems. Sometimes that can be a good thing, and I am able to coach him through and help him along. However, sometimes I have to let him make mistakes so he can see where he went wrong and correct it himself. This year his lessons include little tests along the way....I have explained to him each time he takes a test that mommy will help him read (because we haven't mastered all reading yet) the instructions, but that I cannot help him with the test. A few times I have read the instructions to a problem, and I have known that he didn't really listen to the instructions as he starts to quickly mark the incorrect answer. Then while grading I have to mark it wrong, and we have to discuss what he needs to do in the future to get the right answer. This is really hard for him and for me.....for him it's hard to fail, and for me it's hard to watch it happen....but at the same time I know it's necessary part of learning. As parents, it's important to know that at some point our kids are going to fail, and that that is ok.
We are all going to have times where we stumble and fall. We are all going to have times where we have to choose to get back up, dust ourselves off, and keep going.
James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
And Hebrews 12: 1-3 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Let's start with the verse from James.....not only does it say the trials will come but it also says to rejoice in them....oh so much easier said than done!! But I can also know within a trial that it's a time for me to grow, persevere, and become a more mature person.
Let's face it...there will be times when we fall and we don't want to get up. There will be times when we want to lay in the pit and simply say, "no more....I can't do it anymore."
That is where Hebrews 12 reminds me that: A. We don't have to do this alone and B. Jesus has already run this race. There is a goal....there is a destination....there is a purpose (as hard as that is to swallow sometimes). God sent Jesus to pay the ultimate price for our sins...He took our punishment, endured the cross and it's shame (random thought...what do you think is worse? Falling? Or the shame that we can carry with falling?). But (praise the Lord!) Jesus endured...He persevered...He died for our sins but He also rose again and is now seated with the Father in Heaven. And we also are going to be faced with trials in this race called life, and we have to get back up, persevere, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
You are going to fall...that is a fact.
And Thankfully God loves us and is faithful....He knows we will fall and He will be there (just like a good parent) to pick us up, dust us off, and help us to perservere.
And to quote one of my current favorite songs (just b/c I can), "Never once did we ever walk alone. Never once did you leave us on our own. You are faithful. God you are faithful."
