TRY AGAIN

At an early age, many of us were consoled and encouraged by adults when we fell short of our marks. They would say, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"

That usually did the job - after we sulked, licked our wounds, and reflected over what we did wrong, where we missed it and what we could have done differently.

Then, we grow up.

As adults, many will have spouses, close friends and various others to support their endeavors.

What / Who encourages those of us who don't have anyone in our corners? When there is no one around to pick up the pieces? Hand us the tissue? When there is no one to say - Hey, it's going to be alright?

That's when we go to the one who should have been the First - the One who is always present, always available, always faithful and always willing to help; the One whose promises are always dependable and sure.

When life punches us in the gut, when people disappoint us, when we need a hug but look around and see only walls, how do we resist the urge to give in and give up? Here are a few suggestions ...

- We can cast our cares on Him. God cares. We do this through fervent, consistent, earnest prayer. "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon" (Ps. 145:18). Call upon Him and He will answer (Ps. 91:15).

- We can encourage ourselves. When King David was in the depth of despair and everyone had turned against him, He encouraged himself in the Lord. We can have that same comfort in the word that says, He rejoices over us in joy, He loved us so much He gave his only Son, He made us in His image so we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are slightly lower than the angels and crowned with glory and honour.

- We can try again. We all experience setbacks and slip ups. We've had oops and wows and whoa's and noooo's. Even the bible says, A just man falls seven times and rises up again. It doesn't say he bounced back up immediately and we don't have to jump right up after we fall, pretending it didn't hurt. We shouldn't beat ourselves up for feeling bad, getting sad and going through the emotions that are programmed in our DNA. But when all is said and done, it's time to get back in the game and try again.

There is a season for everything we go through. There is a time to get and a time to lose, a time to break down and a time to build up. There was your time to fall, but now it's your time to rise up.

It's time to believe again, time to dream again, time to forgive again, time to laugh again, time to love again, time to LIVE again.

It's TIME TO TRY AGAIN!