Falling

So today I went for a run and it was the perfect day for it. Sun shining down, cool breeze blowing…Yes, South Carolina “winter”. But was I focused on the beautiful day or how blessed I am? No, I was focused on the billions of things I have yet to do and stupid things that have no point being contemplated. So somewhere in the middle of Hampton and Pickens St I fell. I will admit it was a slightly graceful fall. I quickly looked around to see if anyone had seen and save a lone care sitting at a stoplight, I was safe. My first thought? “Well at least no one really saw that.” So I got up, brushed myself off and went on my merry way, still weighed down by a dozen things on my mind. Obviously God was trying to teach me something today…because I fell AGAIN. This time it was right in the middle of campus, dozens of people around. Needless to say, I was not the happiest person in the world. This time there was no grace to be had and I tumbled down the hill. I sat there for a second…wondering whether to laugh or pretend nothing had happened. I went with the latter..lol So after quickly sprinting up the hill, I slowed to a walk and quietly said, “K, Lord you have my attention now”. So I’m sure you’re wondering why I bothered to tell you my awkward story….Here’s why. So many times, at least in my own life, it takes a fall for me to focus fully on God. The first type can be a lot like my first fall…no one sees, we get up and brush ourselves off. Sometimes this makes us focus and turn back to the God of our hearts. Often times, however, it takes the second fall to truly make us turn. That’s hard…especially when it can be a public one. So many things in our lives can seem to become bigger and bigger until we can’t even see where we are headed anymore. We make God too small. It’s seriously comforting to know that even if we fall on our faces, we never fall out of our God’s hands. He picks us up every single time.

“If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” ~Psalm 37:23-24

Keep our steps firm in you, Lord. May it not take a fall for us to turn to You. Give us focused and uncluttered hearts and when we do fall, may the fall always bring us closer to you.

“You move the earth
You hold the stars
Come move in us
Come hold our hearts
You send the rain
And life begins
So rain on us and reign within our lives again

We're waiting here
Waiting for you God
With our hopes and fears
We come empty hands held out
Lord draw us near
Heal these broken hearts
And lift us up to fall before everything you are

You lift the sun into the sky
You lift us up
Open our eyes
To see your face
And what you've done
You took the nails to give us love
And we stand in awe before your throne
There's no where else that we can go

We're waiting here
Waiting for you God” ~Tenth Avenue North “Lift Us Up to Fall”