MORNING GLORY 20

I was minding my own business and trying to be productive on a Thursday morning like any other. I was carrying a big basket of laundry down the stairs because it was past time to get it done. Anyone else?! As I rounded the stairs where the carpet becomes hardwood, I totally lost my balance. My feet flew out from under me and I bounced (with a heavy basket in my lap!). I didn’t just bounce once, I bounced about 5 times down the steps until the ground caught me with a crash. I made quite a fantastic racket. The people in my house came running to find me in a pile on the floor. Thankfully I’m okay — not to worry! A few bruises but nothing broken. 

   

I share this story with you, not for sympathy — but because in these times, I think we can all relate in one way or another. I think we’ve all had our feet knocked out from under us at some point. (Virus, I’m looking at you). Maybe you’ve hit a few bumps on your way down. Me too. But what matters more than anything is what happens when we get there. We assess the damage and check for brokenness. But then what do we do? 

   

Friend, we stand up. We let mom bring us an ice pack for our bruised bum. And we take a step. We acknowledge the pain or the injury, whether in body or spirit. But we do not let it stop us from moving forward.

   

I’m not going to lie here — I eyed every step when I walked down the same staircase later that day because of my fall. But I wasn’t fearful to the point of never returning. Even though I had fallen, I needed to give myself enough grace to keep climbing those stairs. After all, my room is upstairs so it would be silly for me to say “I’m never going back there again!!”

   

The same is true for the failures or missteps in our lives. One slip or one tumble should not be the end. We may fall 7 times but we can surely get up again 8. (Say it with me! I get knocked down, but I get up again…you know the tune.)

   

Sometimes the load we’re carrying is too heavy. We’re likely to slip and hit a few stairs on our way down. My little tumble reminded me to be aware of the things we carry — how we aren’t meant to bear every burden. Jesus tells us to cast every burden on Him. And He gives us each other to be there when we need help along the way. 

My fall also reminded me of my pace. It all happened so fast, I couldn’t tell you whether I was going too quickly or just not paying attention. I slipped when I was least expecting it, and the moment I lost my footing there was no going back. I could have broken a bone or been severely injured. But thankfully it wasn’t more than a bruised tailbone. Trusting Jesus does not mean we will not face challenges or slippery slopes. However — we can stand firmly with faith in His promises because He is with us through every step. We can keep our eyes fixed on Him (just as I should have been looking at the stairs!). Even if we begin to fall — or quite literally take a spill down the stairs — He does not loosen His grip on us. He does not let us fall away from Him.

   

Call out your burdens — your weaknesses — your stumbles. Give them all to the Lord. Let’s walk in His life-giving light together. He stretches His hand out to us and helps us through every weakness. His power works best that way.