And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.
Joshua 8:1
Father, failure has a way of discouraging me from trying again. When I am faced with defeat I have the tendency to just shy away from attempting again. I allow my mind to often misinterpret the results, convincing myself that it was never for me in the first place. I can miss my part in the failure, how by not obediently following after You I deny myself the victory in the moment. Or I can miss that the previous defeat was just an indication that it was not my time.
Today, my soul finds encouragement in Your words, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed…arise, go up…” I rejoice in the fact that You know the plans You have for me. And in Your plans I shall overcome! You are in control and nothing comes my way unless it first passes through Your hands! In the end I shall have the victory if I stay close to You.
So Lord, I know that in my defeats there are lessons that You are teaching me. Show me today what You intend for me to learn. Open the eyes of my understanding and help me to connect the dots that I might learn from my mistakes. And give me the courage to rise from my failures, brush myself off, grab Your hand, and move forward. In Your plans I find great hope for today and tomorrow, knowing that my setback is nothing more than a set up. Thank You for Your unfailing love, care, and direction.