It's not always plain sailing when we're trying to accomplish something. On the way to success there are various points when we suffer failures and depending on their size or frequency, they can leave us emotionally drained and cause us to question our ability to turn things around and God's ability to make all things work for our good.
Preparing ourselves for how to handle setbacks before we attempt to achieve anything can help us navigate any disasters that we encounter along the way with a character that's formed of true faith.
Here are five things to do after suffering a setback.
1. Give thanks to God
Having an extremely powerful role model to inspire you in the wake of things falling apart is an effective source of motivation. Refamiliarising yourself with how incredible God is when things aren't going your way can help calm you and put things into context. It might be that God's intention is to teach you a valuable lesson or guide you to a new and more rewarding path. Not understanding the reason behind a mishap is no excuse not to thank God. Make the effort to think more about praising Him before He pulls you through because He's always going to do it.
2. Take a break
Resting and recuperating isn't the same as giving up and we shouldn't be hard on ourselves for taking some time out after a setback. In many cases, fatigue can be the reason why we fail in the first place. We can fool ourselves into thinking that we're invincible at times when we're feeling especially blessed, but none of us are. God rested and so should you.
3. Ask for advice
Lots of people will be able to relate to the feeling of shame after they passed up someone's advice or assistance, believing that they could do something completely on their own, only to have things blow up in our faces as a result. If you trust others, it's logical for you to trust their advice too. Needing to ask God, a friend, a relative or all three what your next move should be after a significant setback is a step in the right direction. And remember, whoever you choose to call on, asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.
4. Reassess your goals
Nothing is impossible with God but some things are incompatible with our faith in Him. Are your goals self-serving or God-serving? A setback could be a sign that your focus has moved from glorifying God to getting what you want. Take a look and see where God fits into the whole thing. If pleasing Him is a prominent part of your plans, then they're purposeful. If your aspirations shelve Him to the sidelines, then you'll never see true success.
5. Don't throw the towel in
You might think this is a no-brainer but giving up is one of the most common things that people do when things don't go their way. An attempt to complete a challenge after you've been confronted with a hitch, whether big or small, can quickly and devastatingly be hampered if your heart is no longer in it. So, make sure that your actions and your attitude match up.
