It’s no secret I have a deep-seated fascination with tortoises and turtles. (Don’t ask me to explain the difference, it’ll only make me sound even weirder.) My aunt shares my obsession, regularly sending me adorable videos of baby turtles, giant tortoises, and all things with four legs and a shell. It’s the next best thing to having one of my own.
This morning, she sent me a video of a large tortoise flipped onto its back, struggling to right itself, while a smaller tortoise diligently pushed against it to help. It was heartwarming, but one thing stuck out to me: the larger tortoise was on a flat, open surface. These creatures don’t just topple over like dogs rolling onto their backs. So, what happened?
I replied to my aunt, “How do they get themselves into messes like that?”
And I felt the Lord speak into me, “How do you?”
I can have both feet planted firmly on solid ground and still fall flat on my face—both spiritually and literally. A couple of months ago, I walked right off the edge of a wheelchair ramp at my daughter’s church. My knees and my pride took a beating, but at least I managed to keep hold of my coffee cup without spilling a drop!
Most of the time, I’m not in a deep spiritual valley or on a mountaintop high. I’m just doing life. I read my Bible, I pray, and then, out of nowhere, I get knocked over. Sometimes it’s my own doing. I give in to temptations that pull me away from my Creator, and before I know it, I’m wondering how I got myself into such a mess. Other times, it’s not my choice at all. Life happens—someone else’s actions, bad timing, illness, or unexpected disruptions throw me off balance.
Either way, I find myself flat on my back, flailing, wondering if help will come this time. It always does though because God is faithful. He is good no matter what. Not only can He be trusted to roll us over so we can regain our footing, but He plants us in a better place than where we fell in the first place.
The next time you find yourself wondering how you got into a bad situation, stop floundering. Fix your eyes on the One restores all things, and let Him roll you out of the dirt.