“For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.” – Proverbs 24:16, NIV
After catching myself speaking harshly to a family member, I felt frustrated and guilty that I’d fallen into the sin of speaking sharp words again – despite my commitment to always speak kindly. I seemed to fall into sin over and over when someone in my household neglected a chore, like leaving a mountain of dirty dishes in our kitchen sink on the day they were assigned to help with the dishes. I would say something unkind and then usually do the chore myself and resent the situation. After prayer, I recognized the unhealthy pattern in my behavior. Then I was able to finally change it – over time and with God’s help. I was grateful to be able to “rise again” after falling repeatedly, because God gave me the guidance and power I needed to change that habit.
How have you fallen down lately in this fallen, broken world? Whatever mistakes you’ve made, or how often you’ve made them, Proverbs 24:16 has good news for you. It promises you that even if you fall over and over again, you’ll be able to rise again because you have a righteous relationship with God.
Rising again after you fall isn’t something you need to try to do in your own limited strength. You just need to rely on God’s unlimited strength to empower you. The righteous rise because God is with them – not because they have enough spiritual strength of their own. They rise because they know they have a Helper – the Holy Spirit – who invites them back into God’s presence every time they fall.
When you fall and then turn toward God instead of away from him, that’s spiritual resilience in action. You don’t have to try to pretend that your struggles aren’t real. All you have to do is ask God’s Holy Spirit to help you get back up. The Holy Spirit will help you get back up after falling every single time you fall.
If it takes you a while to rise again when you’re working with the Holy Spirit to change your life, that’s fine. God doesn’t measure your progress by how quickly you get up. He measures it by your willingness to come back to him — to ask for help, to receive his strength, to rely on the power he offers you through his Spirit. The Holy Spirit can help you with whatever you need, such as discernment about what you need to change and what you need to let go of, courage to take the next step of faith, and patience with yourself as you go through the process of change.
Spiritual resilience is a beautiful process of cooperating with God’s Spirit to bring about positive changes in your life and in your soul, even as you sometimes fall in this fallen world. You will have trouble in this world, but in a relationship with God through Jesus, you’ll be able to overcome it. Jesus promises you in John 16:33: “… in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Psalm 24:16 contrasts the help the righteous receive to rise again after falling with the stumbling that befalls the wicked who don’t have a relationship with God. It’s a blessing to have access to God’s help to rise after you fall down – as many times as you need it! Trusting God to help you rise again helps you build a closer relationship with him. You can learn something valuable about God and about yourself every time you work with God’s Spirit to rise after a fall.
The next time you fall down, remember that you don’t have to stay down. The Holy Spirit is there to help you rise and start again!
Let’s Pray ...
Dear God,
I’m frustrated and sometimes discouraged by how many times I’ve fallen into sin, despite doing my best to live a holy life. I confess that sometimes I want to rely just on my own strength to make decisions, but I see how that hasn’t been enough to help me live the best life – the life you want for me. Holy Spirit, I need you. Please give me your courage, your patience, your wisdom, and your peace as I take each step toward you. Teach me what I need to learn from every setback when I fall, and help me rely on you to rise again each time. Thank you, God.
Amen.
What truth from today’s devotional is God using to encourage your heart? Share your reflection and join our conversation in the iBelieve Truth Devotional Forum.
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If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Tuesday, 21 July 2026.
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