The Fall Defines Nothing- Your Rising Determines Everything.

I have found that as humans, we often define ourselves by our falling, by our failures. It is so hard in a world who sees you for the bad to define yourself by the good. We identify as many different things, but most of them come back to defining ourselves by failure, or things that we see as failure. We are addicts, panic disorders, ADHD, single parents, unemployed, etc. We may not voice these "flaws" to others, for fear of abolishing the facade we wear so well. But when you look in the mirror, who do you see? Do you see someone who isn't wanted by their friends? Who doesn't fit in well with their co-workers? A person struggling to not fall prey to lust? A person who had an abortion? Why do we continue to define ourselves by our mistakes? By our sins? It's not the falling that defines you. It's only how you rise.

Rising takes more strength than people realize. We are all called to rise at some point in our life.  Sins have defined people for too long, in my opinion. I believe it's time that the righteousness of Christ defines us, rather than our human weakness.

If you think about it, Jesus' death is not what brought victory. His Resurrection was. The Rising of Christ defined and set Him apart. Thousands were killed by crucifixion. None to the extent of Jesus, Him bearing the sins of the world, but if you think about it, crucifixion was a common thing. Rising from the dead as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, First-born of the slain, was not.

Sin is common in the church. Sin is common to humanity. Sin and failure are something that we have in common with those who have never encountered Jesus Christ, as well as with those who have. However, it is rising from the curse of sin that we have in common with Jesus. Our sins brought death over the messiah (The consequence of sin is death). Instead of staying down, trapped in the death and hell that sin brings, Jesus rose and returned to the Father. We are called to do the same. Quit allowing the cycle of failure to bear fruit in your life. Rise after falling, and return to the Father. Falling does not define you, Rising does.