  Principles for overcoming failure: * Recognize the grace and mercy of God. When you fail, Satan attempts to heap on guilt, condemnation, and helplessness that will keep you from going back to God. God is always reaching out with grace to restore you and bring you to victory again. * Actively seek other people to pray for you. Don't wait until you fail before you surround yourself with a shield of prayer warriors. Humble yourself, acknowledge your need, and ask for prayer. Recognize them as keys to the success of your life. * Associate with Christians who know how to forgive and restore those who fail. It's a lot easier to go through failure if you are surrounded by people who not only know how to confront sin, but also know how to forgive it when there has been repentance. * Don't give up. Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart (2 Cor. 4:1). * See God's eternal work. Look beyond the momentary trials or failures and recognize that God is doing an eternal work. For we do not lose heart...for this slight momentary affliction inspiring us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Even though some of your own works may perish, whatever God has created will survive any test. God's kingdom is destined to triumph in the end. * Keep your focus on pleasing God, not on impressing people. Be a God-pleaser, not a people-pleaser. Feelings of failure often come not because you have displeased the Lord, but because you have displeased people. Many of these negative attitudes can be eliminated by returning to the Lord and seeing His evaluation. * If the failure is a result of sin in your life deal with it ruthlessly. It is futile to try and escape from a "failure syndrome" if you are caught in a "sin syndrome" that you are unwilling to acknowledge and deal with. If you ruthlessly deal with your sins, the roots of many failures will vanish. The blessing of God will be released, which brings the only true and lasting success. * Recognize that you are in a spiritual war. When you are in spiritual warfare your weapons must be spiritual rather than of the flesh, and your true enemies are not people, but the forces of Satan. Since people are not the true enemy you can and forgive them. > * Ascertain whether the failure came as the result of not being in your proper sphere. We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere that God appointed us (2 Cor. 10:13). You will find the blessing of God in the place where God wants you to be. * Beware of unscriptural idealism and perfectionism. If perfectionism is your standard, you will always feel like a failure. Perfection characterizes the treasure - Christ - but not the vessels of clay who carry it.
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