Get Up

August/28/2017 13:25

In 1997, a song was released called “Tubthumping" by a British band called Chumbawamba. You may think you haven't heard of the band, or the name of the song, unless you are a student of late 90’s alternative music. However, I am certain you know the lyrics:

"I get knocked down, but I get up again….”

The song climbed to #1 in the Alternative Rock charts. Eventually it also fell off the charts. I am pretty sure it never “got up again.” In fact, Chumbawamba never had another Billboard song in the US.

Ironic.

Now that I got a familiar tune stuck in your head, I want you to think about the words… “I get up again.”

Most of us love come-back stories. Somebody who was at one time great and full of potential only to find themselves crashing down. Then we cheer them on as they climb their way back up! We are inspired because most of us have been down, and we know the struggle of getting up.

The fear of failure often times controls us. For me, it’s one of the most controlling fears in my life. The fact is we are probably going to find ourselves down. Either by failure or by pushing, we will at some point need to get up again.

Getting up is one of the great definers of character. It’s not a question of whether or not we fall, but if we get up.

For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.
- Proverbs 24:16(NIV)

That is what we do. We get up. We rise from the ashes. We are not one hit wonders. As leaders, the greatest stories we use to inspire others are the redemption stories of when we were low, and we were able to gain ground.

3 Things to Remember to Help Get You Back Up:

1. Grace
Sometimes it is easy to have grace for others but not for ourselves. In fact, in my life, I have found that when I don’t have an understanding grace for myself I am not very graceful towards others. Take it easy on yourself! Grace empowers the second chance. Grace doesn't simply show pity when we are down, it empowers us to get up!

" Grace empowers
the second chance."

2. Reach Out
There will be moments in our lives where the only way we can get up is with the assistance of another. Everybody needs a hand. God has placed people in your life to help you when you are down.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV) Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

3. One More Time
It is critical to remember that you only have to get up one more time than you fall. When you are down, just declare the words, “just one more time.”

Micah 7:8 (NIV) Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.

Reflections

Get Up