Is Falling the Same as Failing?
“He failed.”
This was my daughter’s response when our cardboard creation fell flat as I expected it would with only 1/4 of the legs mounted to stabilize it.
“Do you think falling is the same as failing?” I asked her.
Her silence confirmed why she has been deeply frustrated by some of the challenges she’s faced lately. To her, falling was failing.
I pondered my answer. After a few moments of silence, I told her what I want all of us to hear: “Falling is NOT failing; falling is part of fearless learning.” In learning to follow Jesus, we will certainly fall in every stage of the game. Whether or not you see it as failure, will determine how quickly you get back up.
You will learn to follow by first learning to stand. You will certainly fall when you are learning to stand. This comes from leaning too far in any direction that is not our solid centre— Jesus’s life, death and resurrection, not our own. You can get back up because Jesus got out of the tomb and gave you Himself as a gift.
You will learn to follow by learning to walk. You will certainly fall when you are learning to walk. You’ll find yourself entangled with sin and wearing hindrances, and as you learn to throw them off, you’ll fall in the process. You can get back up because Jesus got out of the tomb and gave you Himself as a gift.
You will learn to follow by learning to run. You will certainly fall when you are learning to run. You might fall flat… or you might just stumble. You might learn your pace by going too fast or too slow in a season. You will stumble when you try to run without people. You will certainly fall when you are learning to run. You can get back up because Jesus got out of the tomb and gave you Himself as a gift.
Do you think falling is the same as failing?
Ponder your answer. Sift it through truth. Until we get this one figured out, we’ll spend a lot of time on the ground splashing around in fear, pride, guilt and shame.
Fun Fact: Notice that there’s only one letter difference? If there’s an “I” in the centre, it’ll feel like a fail. But if there’s a “L”— the love of Christ, maybe you’ll know that His love catches you every time.