Holiness: Losing

What is it about losing that gets us down? Is it that we were outmatched by our opponent? Or rather, that the loss makes us feel like we did not try out very best? How about that losing is just the worst thing that could ever happen and the world will end if we don't win? 

Losing is part of life, or rather, failure is a part of life. We can't all be winners all the time, I mean think about it. If everything we did was perfect, what would there be to strive for? Life would be pretty boring, wouldn't it? Our mistakes are a way of learning. Mistakes are good; they help us grow. Otherwise, why would God allow them? God would only allow something bad to happen in the first place if he saw the greater good coming out of it. 

But even if we know this, why do we still get down when we lose? It takes a strong person to accept a loss, and an even stronger person to take it even further, and love their opponent, and sincerely congratulate them on their victory. Losing does not necessarily mean you are not good enough, but that your opponent performed better in that particular situation.  Losing is not the end of the world, but rather it is the beginning of a new opportunity. The opportunity to take the mistakes you made and your failures, and improve upon them, build upon them.