If you have ever seen a child learning to walk, you know that falling down is an important part of the process. Getting back up again is crucial to developing the child’s balance and muscle development. Likewise, a boxer isn’t disqualified because he gets knocked down; he’s disqualified because he doesn’t get back up. Boxers know they will go down, so they focus on the art of falling safely and getting up quickly. Children and boxers both learn this: it’s all about getting up again.

The Bible tells us that falling is common to both the righteous and unrighteous. It’s getting up again that sets them apart: ‘If good people fall… they will get back up. But when trouble strikes the wicked, that’s the end of them.’ (Proverbs 24:16 CEV) The unrighteous stay down—the righteous get up again!

In Scripture, some of God’s greatest servants fell into personal failure. Abram lied to Pharaoh about his wife, Sarai (see Genesis 12:11–17). Jacob deceived his father and stole his brother’s birth-right (see Genesis 27:17–29). In anger, Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock (see Numbers 20:7–12). Yet instead of being disqualified, they ‘were all commended for their faith.’ (Hebrews 11:39 NIV)

How come? Because they acknowledged their sin and received God’s forgiveness. In other words, they fell, but they got up again. And when you fall, you can get up again too. That’s the ‘faith’ part of your journey. Staying down is failure accepted—getting back up is faith activated!