Getting Back Up

Slip-ups happen, but how should we respond to them? In Matthew, the Bible says that blessed are those that mourn. When we sin our response should be to mourn that sin. We should consider bowing down and asking for forgiveness and spend time mourning. Here is how David responded:

Psalm 51:1-19 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight, that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.

15 O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”

Notice that David did not just mourn for 1 or 5 minutes, he took a block of time to get right with God again. Consider praying and studying this chapter after a fall.

Second, it is very important to acknowledge your progress toward quitting after a fall. While you mourn, acknowledge if you made progress toward the habit of turning from lust, progress toward the habit of running to the verses for quitting, progress toward the habit of thinking new thoughts, progress toward the habit of going to war with sin, or progress toward the habit of any other positive Spiritual activity.

Third, if you have been working hard to quit, you may think: What I did, did not work. Don't say that, instead say...

”What I did started to work. What do I need to add to what I am doing to be even better? What do I need to change so that I allow no openings?

Finally, keep fighting, God knows your heart.

 

One key to getting back up after a slip-up is to attack a base problem that helped lead to the slip-up.
We can't allow things like frustration, regret, self-pity, or 100 things like that to sink us. When we do a Google search “Verses frustration” we now have something we can print out or write down to study and pray over so that God can help us think and act in a new way.

People hurt people verbally and in other ways. We all experience it. But when it upsets us we have two options. First, we can dig into scripture, pray about what it says, and learn and grow. Or, we can let it fester until it drags us down in darkness.

Today, start to make it a habit to attack basic problems and issues that start to drag you down. Consider praying:

“Father, teach me how to handle _________.” Insert what sinks you into the blank. Or:

“Father, give me wisdom to learn how to overcome ________.”

To find joy we need to overcome day in and day out. In order to do that we need to realize that millions of people have overcome the frustration, or ________ that we struggle with.

Today, improve your expertise in learning how to allow scripture to help you to overcome.

Last, improve your expertise in attacking “before” you are dragged totally into the mud. The earlier in the process that you start to fight back, the more often you will avoid a future fall.

 

Frustration has been starting in me sometimes this week. I am fighting back by rejecting and replacing frustrating thoughts with prayers.
What negative emotion overwhelms you right before a fall? This emotion must be rejected and replaced or the odds of falling go through the roof. Use prayers, scripture, and Christian music to fight back. Please comment on what you do to fight back successfully.