Stumbling

Introduction

Chuck Swindoll once said, “The Scripture must touch were we live!” We all have stumbled from time to time in our lives. In those time when we stumble we long to become invisible. Some of my stumbling experiences make me shudder whenever I think about them. We can all identify with the embarrassment of stumbling. There is something to be learned in all this business of stumbling.

In the book of James every verse is like a scalpel, cutting deep incisions in our conscience. Hidden within the epistle of James is an extremely important truth we often forget.

James 3:2 “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”

What is James talking about here? James is letting us know that nobody’s perfect. To stumble is normal, a fact of life, an act that guarantees our humanness. Let’s think about ways we stumble:

We Stumble Many Times in Our Speech

James 3:8 “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

2. We Stumble Many Times in Our Sensuality

James 4:1 “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?”

3. We Stumble Many Times in Our Selfishness

James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

4. We Stumble Many Times in Our Securities

James 5:2 “Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.”

Perhaps you have stumbled in some way today? Maybe you feel like a failure, you opened your mouth when should have kept it shut. Maybe you acted upon some lustful thought and now you’re carrying around a heavy burden of guilt. Maybe you have been selfish in some way and you have robbed God. Maybe you have stumbled because you have an idol in your life that has become a false sense of security? You’re miserable, discouraged and you’d like to hide.

Well that’s just ridiculous! Get up out of that pool of self-pity, brush off the dirt with the promise of God’s forgiveness and move on!

Jeremiah 31:34 “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For they shall all know me, From the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: For I will forgive their iniquity, And I will remember their sin no more.”

Acts 10:43 “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

Now always remember there are those individuals who instead of the normal reaction of concern and support when saint’s stumble, you will find that some who saw you fall will want to hold you down or bad mouth you because you slipped. Ignore them completely! They have forgotten that James is including them in his epistle. The only difference is that you didn’t get to see them stumble. But they have, trust me, they have. Here what we need to discover:

God wants to use you, stumbling and all, but He won’t do so if you refuse to get up.

Stumblers who give up are a dime a dozen. In fact, they’re useless.

Stumblers who get up are rare. In fact, they’re priceless.