WHEN RESOLUTIONS FAIL
"For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity."
Proverbs 24:16
Many people I know make New Year’s resolutions. They vow to exercise more, eat right, lose weight, quit that bad habit, get out of debt, put God first, stay pure and so on. But what do you do if you fail and falter in your New Year’s resolutions and it is only the second week in January? What then?
I know what lots of people do. They beat themselves up with guilt and shame. They tell themselves what a loser they are. They heap condemnation on their heads and walk around in defeat mode. That is not the thing God wants us to do when we fail.
GOD’S PROGRAM FOR THOSE WHO FAIL
Proverbs 24:16 is a great verse to help you and me when we falter in our well-intentioned commitments to God. Look at it again: “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity.”
Notice that God says, “A righteous man falls seven times.” Even the righteous person, even the one who desires to do right and please God, that one falls, fails and blows it—not once or twice but seven times (over and over and over again).
Now, the devil will tell you when you fall, “Give up, you bum! Throw in the towel and quit! You will never walk in victory over this anger, this worry, this bitterness, this lust, this greed, this addiction, this whatever. You are a loser and a failure and a major disappointment to God.” Have you ever heard those words play in your head? Well, the good news is this: “The devil is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
When we fall, God never says, “Give up.” God says, “Get up! Rise again! Confess that sin; get it out of your heart and under My blood. Take my hand, and let’s walk together. Keep looking to Me, and we will slay this giant in your life.”
WE CAN’T DO IT ALONE… AND WE DON’T HAVE TO
My friend, you and I do not have the power to change our hearts, but He does. He can change your sinful desires. He can give you a heart that beats for Him and His righteousness. He can clean you up and set you on a path of joy, peace and victory. The little poem I like says, “I can’t… He never said I could. He will… He always said He would.”
If you have fallen, will you quit beating yourself down over your failures and start looking up? Will you open your eyes and see a Savior who loves you, who has a nail-scarred hand stretched out to you, who says to you, “Will you take My hand, and walk with Me?” What is your answer to Him?
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 182 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.
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