My teenage kids recently introduced me to a  phrase that is popular these days – “Take an L.”

What? I was confused at first, but I think I get it now.

If someone says “Take an L” that means something didn’t go your way and you have to take the loss. Whether it’s because you lost a game, lost your girlfriend, or just messed up in general, Take an L is a creative way of calling you a loser.

Losing stinks. There’s no way around it. But as bad as it feels to Take an L, there is an upside to losing.

1. Losing is a humbling experience, and that’s a good thing. The more humble we are, the more like Jesus we are becoming (Philippians 2:5-11). But the tricky thing is to humble ourselves before we get humbled. Losing brings us back to the reality that we are not “all that” and that’s why we desperately need Jesus.
2. Losing shows us where we need to grow. There’s no shame in having weaknesses and character flaws. As fallen people, we all do. But if we’re willing to acknowledge it and be teachable in the loss, it can turn out to be a major pivot point.
3. Losing does not change our identity in Christ. A loss does not a loser make. Our standing with God does not rise and fall with our performance, with our wins or losses. Rather, our security is anchored deep in the unchanging character and promises of God. That means if you have a relationship with Christ, you were more than a conqueror before your most recent loss, and you will still be afterwards.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”            Romans 8:37

Maybe you have had to take an “L” way too often lately and it’s got you down. If so, remember there’s an upside to losing.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.