Day 15: Winning Through Losing
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My friend Andy learned to box in his late 30s.
After just 12 weeks of training, he had his first fight — and to my delight, he completely smashed his opponent.If it were me, I would’ve retired right then and there.
But three months later, Andy had his second fight. And this one was different.
It was close. It was brutal. He had to dig deep just to stay in it. And in the end… he lost.I went to console him, expecting disappointment — but he wasn’t even sad.
He said the first fight was fun, sure. But it was this one — the tough one — that gave him deep satisfaction.
It challenged him. It proved something to himself.That moment made me realise:
Sometimes losing is necessary.Because sometimes, losing is the only way to discover what you’re really made of.
Let’s Talk
Everyone loves a win.
Whether it’s finally feeling good again, getting that new job, nailing the speech, or even just making it through a hard week — we crave those little victories that make us feel like we’re on top.
But what happens when we don’t win?
When we crash in the middle of the fight?
When the prayer isn’t answered?
When the mental fog won’t lift or the relationship doesn’t heal, or the big step forward turns into a facepalm?
Most of us want faith to feel like Andy in that first fight — clean, strong, victorious. But faith forged in real life often looks more like Andy’s second bout — bloody, bruised, and still standing.
That kind of fight doesn’t always feel like a win… but it is one.
Because it’s where tenacity is born.
It’s where resilience is formed.
It’s where we find out that we’re not carried by momentum or good luck — we’re carried by to goodness of God.
God doesn’t measure our worth by our win-loss record.
He looks at the heart that keeps showing up, the faith that keeps swinging, and the courage that refuses to sit down just because it’s hard.
If you’ve been knocked around lately, take heart — staying in the fight is the win.
Scripture
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
— Romans 5:3–4 (ESV)
Mental Health Moment
Growth in Christ isn’t pretending everything’s fine — it’s choosing honesty in the midst of the mess.
Mental strength isn’t found in constant confidence or emotional stability. It’s found in the quiet courage to keep turning up, even when your prayers feel unanswered, your heart feels heavy, or your thoughts feel tangled. Faith isn’t proven in the win — it’s proven in the return. The return to God. The return to community. The return to trying again.
Christian thinker Henri Nouwen wrote, “Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us.” God doesn’t waste your struggle — He meets you in it. Mental health challenges don’t disqualify you from spiritual growth; they often deepen it.
When we show up weary, anxious, or feeling like we’ve already lost — but still choose honesty, still choose hope, still choose Jesus — that’s where transformation takes place.
You’re not behind. You’re not broken beyond repair. You’re being shaped. And your willingness to stay in the fight, even bruised, is itself a sign of grace at work.
Practice for Today
Write this sentence down on some paper and carry it in your pocket:
“I’m allowed to lose sometimes. But I’m not giving up.”
Then ask yourself:
What’s one area I’ve felt defeated in lately?
How might God be building endurance, not just handing out easy wins?
A Prayer for the Bruised and Hurting
Jesus,
You know what it’s like to be in the fight.
You’ve felt weakness, pain, and loss — and still, You overcame.
Help me stay in the ring when I want to walk away.
Help me believe that bruises don’t mean I’m broken — they mean I’m still battling.
Remind me that You’re with me in every battle, and with your presence with me, I can keep going.
Amen.
Reflection Prompt
When was the last time you felt like you "lost" — but grew stronger because of it?
How did it shape your character or deepen your faith?
