Before each of my children learned how to walk, they first needed to learn how to sit up on their own, crawl, pull themselves up on the couch or my leg and then stand on their own two feet.  At each milestone I praised them and gave them my most excited face and cheered them on to keep going.  When learning to take their first steps, they inevitably fell a lot, but they kept getting up to try again because of the encouragement they felt from me and their mother.  They kept trying because they saw how their actions were pleasing us to make it further the next time.

This is how our Heavenly Father sees us.  He sees the progress we’re making, and he’s pleased that we keep getting up and trying over and over.  Imagine if I scolded my child each time they fell and made them feel terrible about their mistakes.  They’d probably be less likely to want to continue.  For some reason this is how many of us imagine God’s response when we fall (sin).  God does care about our mistakes but cares more deeply for our desire to get back up and try harder and depend on Him more going forward.  God is your biggest cheerleader and he wants you to succeed.  Falling is not failing; failing is when you fall and chose not to get back up.

The Apostle Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

We need to be encouraged each and every day and look ahead to where God is leading us.  To press on for the heavenly goal and take hold of what Christ has given to us.  You can’t change your past; you only focus on the now.  Let the past go and sprint ahead as you please your Father in Heaven.

– Pastor Jeremy Bower