Casandra Martin

I saw it on a sign – Success is getting up one more than you fall. There is a lot of wisdom in those words. Success isn’t about never failing. It is about trying one more time. It is about being willing to stretch yourself, imagine a different ending, and living with a determination that the end will be worth the effort.

The sign didn’t express anything new. These words reflect ancient wisdom. Solomon said it this way in Proverbs 24:16 – “For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.”

Walking with God isn’t about never falling. Some people are so worried about falling that they never take a step. They stay frozen in the moment and never live out the wonder of walking with God. Others stumble through difficulties, defeated by the moment and their own lack of balance. When they fall, they stay on the ground.

The righteous fall and hold God’s hand as they get back up. They know they don’t walk in their own strength. They trust the truth that God has made a way to rise again when our faces and the floor meet. Success isn’t defined by how many times we fall, but in the grace God bestows as He lifts us back up.

My Jesus Resolution today is to get back up. I am going to fall today. It may be just a tiny trip or a spectacular tumble. It might occur in a private moment or in front of a crowd. There may be a small scratch or deep wound. It may happen once or seven times, but today I am not going to define myself by how many times I fall. Today will be about being grateful that God is there to lift me back up. Even if it is eight times.