At the 1998 Winter Olympics, elegant and graceful, Michelle Kwan was favored to win the gold medal in the women’s figure skating competition. But Tara Lipinski exploded onto the ice in a brilliant performance that gave her the gold instead! Later, in an interview, a TV reporter asked Michelle, “How did it feel to lose the Olympics?” Michelle looked at her in astonishment and said, “I did not lose. I won the silver.” Throughout her career, she showed perseverance, dedication, and grace under pressure. Michelle once shared that as a beginner, her coach told her that learning to skate was about falling. As a world champion, she still fell often, but had the conviction that it is okay to fall sometimes, the important thing is to get back up to keep going.

A faithful Christian is not someone that never falls. A faithful Christian will fall and get back up again, trusting in God for the strength to continue and to finish strong. We have several examples in the Bible: Moses killed someone and fled to hide out in the wilderness for 40 years, hoping it would be forgotten, but God did not forget and called him back anyway to use him to lead His people. David, too, fell pretty hard when he committed adultery and also murder. After deeply repenting, God restored their relationship. Jonah just ran away from the calling of God, ran until he fell, right into the ocean and the waiting belly of a great fish. But our merciful God gave him a second chance to get up and try again. These men and many more are considered winners in the Bible. They may have gotten a silver medal, but in the end they still stood in the winners circle.

You may be feeling as though you have fallen too many times and that your sin is too great. God is still rooting for you and He is extending His mighty hand to help you back up. Maybe you are in the audience watching from the sidelines. The cheers from fellow believers are powerful encouragement to those who have stumbled. Let us pray for and cheer them on. God can do great things through both of us!

Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the Biblical examples of those that served you faithfully even though they stumbled or fell. I ask for the strength to get back up when I fall, the will to keep going, and the conviction to follow you no matter what. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

1.    Proverbs 24:16-17 (NIV).

Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.