No one likes to fall. It hurts and can even leave a lasting mark. I am not speaking only in terms of the physical but in regards to our walks with the Lord as well. There is a multitude of ways we can fall on our walk with God. Each bringing their own hurt and pain. As Christians, our goal is often to avoid these falls and do all we can to stand strong against whatever comes our way. Which is absolutely a great thing but truthfully sometimes we simply need to fall.
We have all heard it said that pride comes before a fall. A lesson taught in scripture that the world has also embraced because it simply holds true. Often if we look back over our falls both physical and spiritual we will see that we had become prideful. This has played itself out many times in my own life. Most of the bicycle accidents I had in my youth find their root in pride. I got a big head tried to show out to friends or family and ended up with yet another injury. Pride is often the biggest downfall to the human race just as the Bible has said for thousands of years.
Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
It is abundantly clear that pride is almost always followed by a fall. What is also clear is that a fall in the Christian life is almost always followed by humility. Our falls will often allow us to humble ourselves before God and even others. Causing us to realize that we can’t do it all on our own. That we are really not special and that we are susceptible to the same temptations as everyone else. More lessons that scripture tries to teach us.
Proverbs 3:5–6 (ESV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Of course, the Bible calls us to always have a humble attitude. The greatest example we have of humility comes from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ being. As he stepped down from His glory to become the sacrifice for our sins. He is the example we are called to follow.
Ephesians 4:1–2 (ESV)
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
James 4:10 (ESV)
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Philippians 2:3 (ESV)
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Philippians 2:5–7 (ESV)
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
The Bible also tells believers to be careful when think they are standing firm because they could easily fall. A lesson I believe we have all had to learn the hard way at one point in our lives. Scripture enforces the fact that Christians should do their best to take account of where they are and ensure they are not living in a way that could cause them to fall. We should do our best to always live out and uphold God’s word.
1 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV)
12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
But the truth is while we know good and well that we should do our best to remain humble and cast off pride we often don’t. In most cases, it’s not on purpose but we simply don’t realize the pride we are carrying in our own lives. This is exactly why sometimes we need to fall. A fall can open our eyes to the issues that have built up in our lives over time. Issues that we have become blind to and don’t realize are a major problem. Which offers us the opportunity to correct them before it is too late. Which is done by returning to God in humility and seeking His forgiveness.
1 John 2:1–2 (ESV)
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Some of the greatest lessons I have learned in this life have come from falling flat on my face. I know without a shadow of a doubt that there have been times that I needed to fall as a Christian. Because it is those times that caused me to see the error of my ways and strive to get closer to the Lord. Had I not fallen it is possible that I would have never seen a reason to correct my way. Falls, while they do hurt, have the potential to save us from even worse hurt down the road. The worst being following the wicked path toward destruction and away from God. I am thankful for the falls I have taken because of what they have kept me from and the future they have prepared me for.
Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV)
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
In closing, I really want to make two things very clear. Sinning and falling are almost one and the same. Meaning that both are bad and things that should not remain a constant in our lives after salvation. This article is not intended to glorify falling or to say we should strive to or be fine when have fallen in life. As the verse above says the goal should be to sin not. But we can find peace in the fact that if we do fall God is willing to forgive us.
The true purpose of this article is to help those who have fallen get back up again. Often when you fall it can feel as though you have really messed up or that God won’t accept you again. Which simply isn’t true. In actuality, a fall with a chance to repent is nothing more than an opportunity. One that you can use in order to correct the pride-based issues in your life that ultimately lead to your fall. Sometimes you need to fall in order to better serve God in the future. Learn from the falls you take and do whatever you can to not fall in that same way again.
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