Without pain there is no gain!

• 
  Personally, I have never built muscle without resistance. I had to sweat and work hard--and sometimes it hurt. But I was always glad for the result and never resented the sweat, strain, or pain.
  
  If we can see our difficulties as spiritual resistance that will build spiritual strength, we can "rejoice in our sufferings" and not resent them. Paul said essentially that. I agree with him.

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Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Rom 5:3-5 NIV)

Police your mind!

In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable. Put into practice what you learned and received from me, both from my words and from my actions. And the God who gives us peace will be with you. (Php 4:8-9 GNB)

A dependable God

My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming." Do not hide yourself from me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don't leave me now; don't abandon me, O God of my salvation! Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close. (Psa 27:8-10 NLT)

Chances

• Have you ever heard, "Everyone deserves a second chance."?
  
  What if you have used up your second, even third, fourth, or more? As for me, I stopped counting. This is what I learned from precious and costly experience, and I believe it with everything in me:
  
  
  • It is never "too late" with God.
    
  • It is only "too late" if I choose to quit.
    
  • Regardless of circumstances, I do not have to quit.
    
  • God will not and the enemy cannot force me to quit if I choose not to.
  
  It is not too late if you choose to believe it. And you can. Today.

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But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. (Jer 18:4-6 NIV)

Love

The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Gal 5:14-16 NIV)

What does this make us?

For all of you are God's children through faith in the Messiah Jesus. Indeed, all of you who were baptized into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah. Because all of you are one in the Messiah Jesus, a person is no longer a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a male or a female. (Gal 3:26-28 ISV)

Choose a winning team

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Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. (2 Chr 20:2-4 NIV)