Try, Try Again

The new year usually comes with renewed desires for improvement. As believers we make, first and foremost, spiritual goals, goals that center on the command and desire to do all to the glory of God. Bible reading, prayer, church attendance, tithing, evangelizing, speech, attitudes, holiness—all of these areas of life have worthy goals that we should make and strive to attain. We also make goals about health, finances, parenting, time management, and a host of other areas. We start goals with enthusiasm and efficiency; but at times something happens, and we falter.  What do you do when you fall short of a goal or fail in a goal?

A human tendency is to get discouraged. When we get discouraged, we tend to stop; worse yet, we give up and quit. But the Bible says to do something completely different: it says to get back up and try again. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Pro. 24:16).

The just man, the man who characteristically does right, doesn’t always do right. At times he falls down. But when he does, he gets back up and strives to do right again. A key to consistency and growth is to get back up when you fall. Righteousness in the Christian life is not marked by perfection, but by direction. What you do when you fail matters. Confess any sin, but don’t stay mired in the guilt of sin or in the discouragement of failing. We all want the best for each other. Don’t quit. Keep going. Get back up and try again.