LAUREL —
Proverbs 24:16
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
A lot of us has experienced failure at one point in time in our lives. A lot of failure is not so happy because of the shame and embarrassment that it brings. It may even be the unwanted attention that always follows failure. One thing God showed me was that. Failure doesn’t mean it’s the end of something. It means it’s an opportunity to stretch or exercise your mind a little more in order for you to succeed.
Believe it or not, the majority of everything I’ve learned in life came through my failures. You will never know how to appreciate the mountain top if you have never been in the valley. We like to think of failure or valley places as negative territory. Actually it’s a pretty good situation to be in when you have Jesus. Why? He is a guide, a light, a protector, a provider. So it doesn’t matter if I am on the mountain or in the valley. As long as I got Jesus, I have exactly what I need in order to make it.
Let me show you. You can have all the money and riches in the world. If you don’t have God to direct or navigate your spending, you won’t have it long. Why? God is wisdom. It takes wisdom to know how to dispense your resources or you will be like a city without walls. No boundaries or borders to protect the city. You will be exposed and open. A good target to lose everything you have. That’s with a lot of things in life. Learn how to govern and protect what God has provided for you.
The just man had fallen seven times. In order to have fallen, you first have to be somewhat standing. Figuratively speaking to stand means to be secure in stance, upright. To fall means to go down. This man found himself in places in life where he came up short and now he needed restoration. He didn’t sit and wallow in his misery. He pulled himself together and used the wisdom that God placed within him to come up.
The Bible said the man had fallen seven times. It didn’t say if it was dealing in the same situation or something different. The important news is: whatever the case may have been he got up. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. So what ever you may be going through that you see is spinning your life out of control, to the point you are falling or have fallen, just know you can get back up. If God be for you, who can stand against you (Romans 8:31 KJV). You may say, “ Well, Mapp, how do you know if God is for you?” (2 Cor. 5:21 KJV). For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. So every flaw, shortcoming, and mistake that you have made or are making, God is waiting with his hands stretched out to help you get up. All you have to do is acknowledge him by calling on him (prayer). He will see you through.
In the midst of it all, failure is an opportunity for to get back up and try again (Phil. 4:13 KJV). I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. God Bless You.
Dr. Melissa Mapp is the Pastor/Founder of Mission International Ministry. Contact her at 40 Erata Rd. Laurel, Miss., 39443 or drevangelistmapp@aol.com.
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Melissa Mapp Photo/File
Having favor in the midst of your failure
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