It’s never really fun when you find yourself needing to apologize for how you acted.

Unkind words

A lack of compassion

A quick-to-speak but slow-to-think moment

Wishing for a do-over – a second chance – it’s easy to scramble in search of excuses.

But, one good look in the mirror is all it takes to face the truth.

We messed up.

We fell short.

Our behavior didn’t match up with our beliefs, and suddenly we have a choice to make.

Admit it and say we’re sorry

or

Build a wall of denial and pride.

Have you been there?

Have you found yourself wishing you could relive a memory and choose differently?

Have you wished for the opportunity to erase a part of your story and rewrite it in a new and better way?

I sure have.

I’d love to say, “One time, I………….”

But the truth is, it’s been way more than once, and even though I’d love to add,

“But never again………….”

deep inside I know I’ll trip up and fall short again…………….given enough time and enough chances.

This morning as I read about the sinful woman who broke her alabaster jar at Jesus’ feet and then washed His feet with her tears,

I felt such comfort in Jesus’ response to those who criticized her behavior,

“Her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much.

But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

This story reminds me that my level of love is in direct proportion to my need for forgiveness.

So the good thing about falling short is that in the falling I am once again longing for and needing forgiveness, and with this need comes the deep awareness of just how little I am and how great He is……………..

and how thankful I am all over again for things like

GRACE

and

MERCY.

So even though falling short never feels good at the time,

the long-term results of not being good enough ultimately outweigh the brief and momentary feelings of inadequacy;

because in those moments I once again come face-to-face with my frail humanity and His Supreme Sovereignty.

And at the end of it all,

that’s all that really matters.

He is the Perfect Son of God.

We are the imperfect, but totally forgiven, children of God.

When we grasp how much we need Him and how much He loves us,

we too will fall down, break our jars, and wipe His feet with our tears.

It’s in the very act of falling short that we find our reason for falling down.

To me, that’s the good thing about falling short.

I’d much rather fall short and find myself at Jesus’ feet than never fall at all and miss that moment with Him.