The reason so many of us struggle so intensely with adversity is that we have yet to adopt God's perspective and priorities.

To become God's mighty servants, we must decide whether we will base our life on His priorities or the world's. The two are incompatible.

Nobody else can make us discouraged; it is a choice that we alone make when facing disappointments.

We are to forgive so that we may enjoy God's goodness without feeling the weight of anger burning deep within our hearts. Forgiveness does not mean we recant the fact that what happened to us was wrong. Instead, we roll our burdens onto the Lord and allow Him to carry them for us.

Another way Christ affects us is by inspiring our gratitude. He left the glories of heaven in order to become our Savior, and when we recognize that sacrifice, we are filled with thankfulness and praise.

In giving us children, God places us in a position of both leadership and service. He calls us to give up our lives for someone else's sake - to abandon our own desires and put our child's interests first. Yet, according to His perfect design, it is through this selflessness that we can become truly fulfilled.

Believing you can achieve a goal is vital to reaching a goal.