Stumbling

We’ve all had those moments where we stumble—literally and figuratively. Maybe it’s tripping over a curb or tripping over our own words. Spiritually, it can feel the same way sometimes. We lose balance in our faith walk, take a wrong step, or get caught up in frustration or fear. But Psalm 37:23–24 reminds us that even when we stumble, we won’t fall because God’s hand is steady on ours. He doesn’t just tolerate our stumbles—He delights in walking with us through them. So today, let’s talk about the grace that catches us when our footing feels unsure.

Psalm 37:23–24 (NLT) — “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”

No one ever said life was easy, and no one ever said that walking with Jesus would be easy either.

As our scripture drives home for us, though we may stumble, we will never fall, for the Lord holds us by the hand.

What an amazing picture that is.

I picture a parent holding the hand of a toddler, and that toddler takes a little misstep, but that parent never lets go of their hand. The parent picks them up, and they move forward together.

God is with us, friends, through it all—delighting in every part of our lives.

Stumbling is part of life; it’s where growth happens.

Think about this: a new start-up business doesn’t just begin and immediately have success. It takes a lot of time for that business to succeed, and through that, those who put in the work know the time and effort it takes.

Be patient with yourself when walking into something new, or if you are in the midst of something, stay diligent regardless of the stumbles. See them as something you can learn and grow from.

Stumbling brings on new perspectives, and with that, there is change and growth.

When you think back on your life, what was a big stumble that you took? We all have them, but was it one that you can look back on now and see where it made you change, or is it one that made you completely stop your direction?

Either way, it was a direct change. That’s the thing when we stumble and misstep—we can either learn and move forward, or we can just stop altogether.

Remember this though—if God has called you to it, you should move forward regardless of the stumbling. There will be times when the enemy will place things in your way to make you stumble on purpose so that he can stop you from moving forward.

But remember that there may be different doors that need to be opened or closed—but if God called you to it, then He will sustain it and you.

You know what’s comforting? God isn’t surprised by our stumbles. He knows the path, including the uneven spots. Every time we lose balance, He’s right there—steady, patient, and kind. The truth is that stumbling can actually strengthen our walk. It keeps us humble, keeps us dependent, and reminds us that grace isn’t earned by flawless steps—it’s given freely by a flawless Savior.

Psalm 37:23–24 (NLT) — “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”

One time in high school, my mom got a call from the school because my sister was running in her athletic class, and she had tripped and fallen. My mom asked what she had tripped over and how bad she was hurt. They told my mom that my sister’s knees were pretty cut up and that she had tripped over a sidewalk line.

We, of course, laughed because who trips over a sidewalk line? Granted, our high school’s sidewalks were a bit of a mess in a few places.

But that’s what we’re talking about, isn’t it? We can be going along at our own pace, and suddenly something that shouldn’t trip us up actually does—and it might even cause some damage.

God keeps us dependent on Him in these situations because He wants us to turn to Him when things come up.

The world and all its noise can cause us to stumble. But with God, though we may stumble, we can confidently get back up.

The world throws a lot at us from time to time, and we can feel like we will never get up or recover. We focus on those things that have caused us to stumble—and that can be true—but when we know that all things work for our good and God’s glory, we see and handle things differently.

We handle them with joy in the storm, with a perspective that is of God because we know that He is with us and has a plan.

When you stumble, look at it through the perspective of, “How is the Lord using this, and how will it bring glory to His name?”

Sometimes we stumble because we’re rushing ahead, trying to make things happen on our own timeline. But when we slow down and let God guide, we find that even the stumbles have purpose. They teach us to trust His pace, not just His path. The Lord holds our hand—not just when we’re standing tall, but especially when we’re wobbling. His grip is stronger than our slip.

Psalm 37:23–24 (NLT) — “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”

We can all say that we’ve learned to ride a bike or even how to use roller skates or rollerblades. With every one of these, we try and fall over and over. We get bruised, and our confidence wavers, but our will to conquer prevails.

It is in our persistence to accomplish that we find the determination to keep trying and going.

Stumbling doesn’t mean failure; it’s just building character.

This happens in our spiritual walks as well.

There will be many temptations and character things that we need to learn to overcome. We will try and fail, but each time we will learn a little bit more about ourselves and how to better handle it all. Eventually, just like riding a bike, we’ll be able to do it with ease—and it will be something we never forget.

When we stumble and fall, there will be marks that come along with that. But those marks become a memory—something that we hold on to.

Those marks and memories can either be positive or negative, and that’s where we’re able to decide how to move forward.

I know for me, when I look back on my life, I see it all as things that made me who I am today. Sure, there are mistakes, missteps, and some regrets, but I wouldn’t really change any of them.

If I believe that everything happens for a reason—that reason being that God was getting me to where I needed to be—then I’m going to look back on those memories and see God’s hand in each and every one of them. And then I’m going to be thankful for every stumble and that God was with me every step of the way.

We can make our plans, friends, but God directs our steps and knows the path we should take.

Maybe today you’ve stumbled in words, decisions, or even faith. But here’s the hope—God’s not keeping score; He’s keeping you steady. Psalm 37 says He delights in every detail of your life. That means even the messy, uncertain, or off-balance parts are covered by His care. So don’t focus on the stumble; focus on the One who helps you rise again.

Grace doesn’t prevent the stumble—it prevents the fall.