The Lord Can Keep Us from Falling 

My dad was in the hospital recently, recovering from surgery after having fallen and breaking his hip. I noticed outside his room was a brightly colored placard reading “Fall Risk.” It served as a reminder to everyone, especially the staff, that this patient had mobility issues and was susceptible to falling. He didn’t need to try to get out of bed in his current condition without the assistance of a nurse. Therefore he might need a little extra attention and to be watched more closely.

Let’s not forget that we all face a similar possibility when it comes to our spiritual health. No matter who we are or how long we have been following the Lord, there is always the possibility that we could stumble and fall. All of us are a “fall risk” during our days on this earth. Hopefully, we are growing and maturing in our faith so that the possibility of stumbling is lessened. However, we need to be careful in thinking that we are beyond the reach of temptation or that we are strong enough within ourselves to overcome the attacks of the enemy of our soul. We continually need to follow Jesus’ advice to His disciples to “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).

On the one hand, let’s not use Jesus’ observation as an excuse for our propensity to stumble. Let’s not blame it on our weak flesh and claim that we can’t help but constantly be giving in to temptations, making bad choices, and experiencing spiritual defeats in our daily lives. While it is true that we are able to stumble, the good news is that we don’t have to do so. The Bible declares that God “is able to keep you from stumbling” (Jude 24). Our flesh may indeed be weak, but if we are trusting Jesus as our Savior, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4). The Lord can give us strength and can enable us to keep standing, no matter what temptations or trials we may face.

On the other hand, let’s not get overly confident in ourselves. Let’s not start boasting like Peter did when Jesus warned His disciples that they would all stumble on the night of His arrest. Peter responded, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble” (Matthew 26:33). Jesus went on to reveal to Peter that he would go even further and would deny Jesus three times before morning. It is reminiscent of another scriptural admonition: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12).

I am not suggesting that we need to walk through life tiptoeing around in fear of falling. We can make this journey with boldness and assurance of our relationship with the Lord. However, it is not with confidence in ourselves or in our spiritual strength. It is confidence in the great God who is able to uphold us. We have to keep standing on the solid Rock of faith in Jesus. We have to keep watching and praying so that we don’t fall into temptation. We must keep leaning on the Lord while depending on His strong arms to uphold us, not simply relying on our own strength.  

Yes, we are at risk of falling. And if we do, there is forgiveness available to the repentant. Nevertheless, we don’t have to stumble and fall. Let’s trust the Lord not only to forgive us and restore us when we fall, but to give us strength to keep us from falling in the first place.