So, yesterday afternoon, I was going out to check for eggs, when I stepped on a wobbly stepping stone and literally FACE PLANTED in the mud. I guess the mud was a blessing because it softened the fall, but I have a clearer understanding of that house that the foolish man built in Matthew 7 – “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:27) because I fell hard! I had mud from the top of my head to the bottom of my shoes – on my face, in my nose and even in my mouth (of course, you know me, my mouth is always open!). Yes, I fell, but thankfully, I didn’t break anything. I’ll be “stove up” and sore for a few days, but falling reminded me of some life lessons that perhaps I needed to remember. You know, I’ve always said that sometimes the Lord puts us on our backs – so that we’ll look up!
Falling like that was very humbling. I was not alone, so it was a little embarrassing. But, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). We are to “Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” (James 4:10). Perhaps I needed a lesson in humility. Falling, and not doing any long-lasting damage also reminds me that I need to “count my blessings.” Paul told the church in Philippi, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6). We must be careful, prayerful, and thankful.
It took me a few minutes of “sitting there and pondering the situation” before I was ready to get up. After having bilateral knee replacement years ago, getting up off the ground is a challenge. But, when the going get tough – you just have to get tougher! Is it easy to get up when you’ve fallen? No! But we are assured that “The LORD upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14). If we refuse to get up when we fall – it’s our fault. I agree with Micah who said, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The LORD will be a light to me” (Micah 6:8).
Sometimes we have to look for the good in the bad. We can be assured and comforted because as God told Isaiah, “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:13). Oh, how we are simply blessed, Courtney