I’ve been thinking…
The only real defeat in the spiritual life is to quit, to fail to get up after stumbling or being knocked down.
His mercies are new every morning...(cf Lamentations 3:22-23)
If we are faithless, he remains faithful – for he cannot deny Himself…(2 Timothy 2:13)
Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning…(Psalms 30:5)
Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…(Philippians 3:13)
Begin again. I must trust in God’s power which is revealed best when I am at my weakest (2 Corinthians 12:9). Begin again. I must try to do a little better than the time before. I know that discouragement and despair are the tools of the Enemy. To vanquish him, I must begin again – often.
Pray in faith. Wait in hope, relying on his promises. And practice loving in the meantime. The Spirit will come to help me in my weakness.
I can give thanks always, in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). I can be thankful even in the midst of my failures and falls, for these afford my Heavenly Father yet another opportunity to demonstrate his generous mercy to me. God’s infinite power and surpassing wisdom are able to weave even my worst messes into a beautiful tapestry of love and goodness despite how awful things might appear at the moment.
I must not prematurely give up, thinking all is lost. I must pray persistently; God’s not tired of hearing from his beloved children. I must remember: it’s not over until God says it’s over, for he always has the last Word.
So get up, shake the dust off and – begin again. This is what I tell myself. It’s pretty good advice I think.
Lessons From Love School 
Great encouragement, Chris. It’s very easy to throw in the towel, however that typically is the way those without hope deal with life’s disappointments and setbacks. Those who listen to social media and find their life defined in terms of a “popularity contest,” always end up discouraged. Those who are “in Christ” recognize that they can persevere because God has us and has promised never to leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) Never means never! Therefore we can rest in the promise of the Lord that no matter how many times we fall down, the Lord will always be there to pick us back up, dust us off, and set us back on the right path.
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Thanks for the encouragement, Chris. Discouragement and throwing in the towel are the typical responses of those without hope. Those who try to live up to the standards of social media often end up disappointed. However, those who are “in Christ” can rest in His promise that He will never leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) Never means never! Therefore we can fall down and fail, knowing that the Lord will pick us up, dust us off, and put us back on the right path.
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