I once built monkey bars for my boys.
Carter, my oldest, could hardly wait to try them out. He nervously climbed up the ladder, grabbed the first bar, and reached for the second. Then fear set in. He kicked his feet and begged for someone to catch him. We told him to calm down and relax his legs so they would hang straight down. He needed them closer to the ground so he could turn loose and fall without hurting himself.
He finally let go, but he did not fall gracefully. Instead, he landed on his arm and wanted to quit. I told him he wasn’t going to quit until he could stop being afraid of falling. After several nervous episodes and less than graceful landings, he learned to extend his legs, relax, and fall so that he landed on his feet.
Navigating life is a lot like navigating monkey bars. We will be tempted. We will fall, but we can’t be afraid of falling. Falling is where we learn humility, experience weakness, and realize we need God and the other people He places in our lives. It’s the place where we become aware of our limits, put new safeguards in place, and experience the passageway of perseverance. Often, falling is where we gain the definition for the rest of our life.
God doesn’t want us to fear the fall. Rather, He wants us not to let the fall define the course of our lives. We can get up, run the race, and try again. After a while, the falls will lessen, and we’ll make it all the way across the monkey bars.
If your fall is bigger than you can handle alone, seek help. Attend an AA or NA meeting. Join a Celebrate Recovery group. Find a counselor, church, or support group.
Whatever you do, don’t give up. Victory awaits on the other side.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Christy Bass Adams is a mother of two boys. She uses her past classroom experience to teach future educators at Saint Leo University and at North Florida College. Christy serves as the Outreach and Connections Coordinator of Fellowship Baptist Church in Madison, Florida. She also writes a weekly inspirational column in Greene Publishing and maintains a regular blog. When she isn’t teaching or writing, you can find her sitting by the fire, wetting a line in the river, or spending time with her boys. For more from Christy, visit her blog: www.christybassadams.com.