Bouncing Back From FailureSample

Come Back In Steps.

As much as we might really want and hope for it to, nothing ever happens in just a single step. Once you submit to that truth, you’ll be more apt to see the beauty of it. God orchestrates everything in such a way that is so purposeful and highlights His almighty name. Take Abram, for example. We read about the amazing promises that God made to Abram in Genesis 12, but we often skip over the journey. God tells Abram to go to the land that He will show him and there are so many steps that come between that and verse 7, when God says it’s “this land.”

We don’t read about it down to the last detail, but you know Abram had to communicate to his wife, his nephew, and all his people that they needed to pack their things. He had to pack up himself! He had 75 years worth of possessions to his name. Can you imagine how long that took? Then they traveled. It’s a few verses in scripture, but just because it takes only a few seconds to read doesn’t mean it took only a few seconds to complete.

The same thing happens with Peter in John 21. He wasn’t simply called by Jesus, he had spent years following Him, sitting with Him, and learning from Him, only to deny knowing Him three times. When he came back to Jesus, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. It wasn’t punishment, it was stepping stones. Peter wasn’t going to bounce back with just one confession of his love for Jesus. Peter needed steps, and we do too. Thankfully, God is a God of the process! Just like He did with Peter, He takes us step by step.

What smaller step can you take today that will help you bounce back a little more? Remember that it doesn’t happen all at once; you’re making progress. Keep going!