We’ve all had those moments when we wish the earth would open up and swallow us whole: we’ve made a colossal mistake, perhaps one that everyone warned us against but we were sure we could defy the odds. You had your chance, your moment in the sun, and you blew it.

For me personally I can’t remember many details about the successful job interviews I’ve had, I just remember that I did well. But I can still tell you with precise detail about the job interviews I failed out and why I think I blew it. Failure sticks with you, but it doesn’t have to. From Scripture, here are four things to do when you absolutely blow it.

The inspiration for this post comes from Acts 1 and how the earliest church leaders dealt with a raging scandal: the betrayal of Judas. Judas’ absence was conspicuous because he was so publicly identified with Jesus. His betrayal sent shockwaves through the movement that continued to be felt even after the resurrection. If no one saw Judas’ betrayal coming, what did that say about Jesus as the Messiah and the disciples as leaders of the movement? In Acts 1, the disciples tackled the scandal head on:

1. Own it. The easiest thing to do would have been to try and whitewash history, to pretend that Judas never existed. The disciples could have decided to never mention Judas, to try and pretend he never existed, to try and erase him from their collective memory. When Luke wrote down the account of the early church, they could have tried to convince him to keep that part out. But they didn’t do that. As painful as it was, they addressed their failing head on. They owned it. When you blow it, everyone knows it so trying to pretend it never happened is a fool’s errand. If you want to move forward, you have to start by owning your mistake.

2. Recognize that God is still on his throne. When Peter stands up to address the elephant in the room, he acknowledged that Judas’ betrayal was actually a part of God’s plan, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus” (Acts 1:16). In spite of their faith being shaken by Judas’ betrayal, Peter recognized the authority of Scripture and the Holy Spirit. When your personal world comes crashing down, take a moment that God is still actually holding the whole world together. You’ll find comfort and solace in that, even if you can’t yet come to grips with what’s happening around you.

3. Find inspiration from Scripture. Twice in Peter’s remarks he referenced the Hebrew Scriptures, a source of authority and comfort in his life. When you blow it, it’s like an earthquake has shattered everything around you and you’re desperately trying to find something whole to hold onto. Scripture is ancient, Scripture is eternal, Scripture contains the words of God. When life changes unexpectedly, go back to that which is unchanging: Scripture.

4. Get back up and keep going. At the end of the day, the apostles needed a twelfth, someone to replace Judas. As awkward as it was to select someone else, they did just that. They found a replacement, commissioned him and moved on. They didn’t allow their mistake to define them. Matthias was added to the leadership of the early church and they were poised and ready for the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.

When you blow it, don’t give up. Your disaster doesn’t have to define you. Your mistakes don’t have to forever mar you. Own it. Recognize that God is still on his throne. Find inspiration from Scripture. Get back up and keep going.