“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.”
Micah 7:8
There are times when we have a “set back” - at least that’s how we label it.
For me, it’s those moments when I feel like I’ve taken a few steps backward because of my worrying, trying to work things out on my own, doubt, or maybe because I’ve come to the realization that my attitude has gotten a little out of line. I’ve had a set back! If I’m honest, I feel like I’ve failed and I’m often ashamed. Then angry. Then… See how in that proverbial trap we can fall deeper and deeper?
While my grand boy was with us a couple weeks ago, I tried to teach him a new perspective while he was playing his XBox or when he was playing card games with Popsy and myself. He’d get so upset if he lost! Of course, he’s ten…that’s a very natural response for him. If only he could learn this lesson soon though!
I tried explaining to him that he hadn’t failed or “lost” the game if he enjoyed himself - and if he learned a lesson from it. Yeah, I know, maybe it was too big of a lesson for his age, but I attempted to explain it more on his level. I asked him what he could’ve done differently, if anything, that would have brought about a different outcome. Or, I gave him a “next time” scenario and action plan so the same type of outcome might be responded to differently next time around. If he could just adjust!
I shared the story of Thomas Edison and the invention of his light bulb. I’m sure you’ve heard the famous quote, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.“
I know, that’s adult stuff.
Of course, his ten year old mind had a difficult time comprehending the concept immediately. I understood. Goodness, I’m over fifty and sometimes can’t quite comprehend it some days.
Later, the following week, I found myself in a similar situation in my own life. I made a “bad” choice (nothing sinful!) which left me beating myself up a bit. How in the world had I been so naive? Why hadn’t I made the right choice? How had I let “that” get under my skin? How had I let my guard down so? Yes, it seemed a monumental failure for me at the time and then I remembered the concept I’d tried to relate to my grand boy.
I had failed from my perspective! But, what if I would look at it as a lesson learned instead? What did I need to do differently next time? Could I actually set in place a different plan of action if this same type of thing happened again? What if I hadn’t really “failed” or “lost”, but instead learned “that way won’t work”? Was this too adult-ish for even this fifty-one year old?
Just some food for thought. When we fall, let’s get back up again, instead of feeling hopeless and allowing the enemy to indulge us in painstaking blame and shame, and maybe even worse. Let’s not so easily look at ourselves as losers of failures so quickly; instead regroup quickly and plan something different for next time. God has made us “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37), but we must do our part. There are enough adversaries who want to beat us up without us being our own worst enemy. When we get in a negative frame of mind, berating and shaming ourselves, we often end up in dark places we aren’t meant to hang out in. It’s an endless spiral until we regroup and make adjustments. That’s right where the enemy wants us too. Defeated!
Maybe this isn’t for everyone, but I’m quite sure I’m not the only one out here who naturally responds in this fashion sometimes. I’m not the only one who hears the taunts of the enemy or the put-downs of my own self! It takes intentionality and a conscious reprogramming of our minds, but we can do all things through Christ, can’t we? It’s not about that one error, and it might take many times to get it right, but it’s about our God-given ability to get back up again - to figure out 10,000 ways that don’t work instead of labeling ourselves as failures and being tempted to give up. I pray we get it right sooner than 10,000 though, in Jesus name.
Be blessed~
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