I had sworn that I would never say that again. I told myself that behaving that way was wrong, and I promised to change. But today, I did it again. I said and did those terrible things again.

In our walk with Christ, we often strive for perfection, hoping to live a life that reflects His love and holiness. Yet, the journey of spiritual growth is not a straight path. It’s filled with stumbles, missteps, and mistakes. The good news is that each one is an opportunity to draw closer to God.

Often, growth occurs through our imperfections. These mistakes fill us with guilt that breaks our hearts, allowing grace to pour into our lives. Our mistakes humble us, teaching us to rely on God’s strength rather than our own. They provide us with an opportunity to start over with more knowledge and a greater trust in the word of God.

Learning from missteps requires reflection and repentance. It’s about recognizing where we’ve gone astray, seeking forgiveness, and allowing God to reshape us. On the wall in my office, I have printed off this passage: “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.” (Proverbs 24:16) Each fall is a chance to learn resilience, trust, and dependence on God’s guidance.

Embracing mistakes as part of spiritual growth doesn’t mean excusing sin. Instead, it’s about trusting that God uses even our failures for His purpose. Like a child learning to walk, we stumble, but God’s hand is always there to lift us, teaching us to take stronger steps toward Him.