Strive not to fall

"I therefore so run, not as uncertainly..."

Oh, don't worry; it happens all the time. You'll pick yourself back up.

So many times, we have received such encouraging words from our pastors, and friends. With certainty, if you pick yourself back up, you'll be fine; thing is you're all dusty and scarred. You honestly can't be thinking about running this holy race with grimy clothes! What will others say? Trust me, they'll say a lot.

"My grace is sufficient for you; my strength is made manifest in your weaknesses..."

Why do we have to worry about cleaning ourselves up when we have the grace of God through the blood of Jesus? Who cares what the world throws at us; at the filth that litter the path to our salvation? Jesus cleanses it all; when we pick ourselves up!

It's not all good though, because in a race, if you stumble and fall, you have to pick yourself up and try to catch up with the persons ahead of you. That's where the danger lies: when we fall, we lose our momentum and have to start building it up again; and this is not an encouraging period. Many Christians have fallen away because they became fed up with this regrowth season.

Strive not to fall, but when you do,

"...run the race that you may obtain the prize..."

that is our command in Christ.