If we were trying to stay clean and had a fall, we must realize that we haven’t lost anything that we gained until now. We simply have to get up and continue from where we left off. The Steipler once told someone who complained to him about how difficult this struggle was, that the times we fail are erasable, but every time we pass a test is a Kinyan that's ours to keep forever. Even if we are successfully misgaber (overcome) only once in a while at first, this initial hisgabrus will ultimately lead us to merit breaking free completely.
So when we fall, even if it feels like we lost everything and are starting again from scratch, we should know that Hashem does this only so that our “vessels” should be empty once again, to enable us to fill them up yet another time with even more achievements. But the attainments from the first vessels that we filled, were never lost. They were already deposited into our “spiritual bank account.” (See Chizuk e-mail #462 on this page for a very nice parable to this effect). So if you were doing great for a while and had yet another fall, don’t despair! Trust that Hashem had much Nachas Ruach from your spiritual successes, but he wanted you to take it to the next level and therefore he gave you these pitfalls, even though he knew you would fall. What makes a person great is his ability to get back up, despite his falls. And davka by having to renew your determination from the ground up, you will be rocketed into a much closer Kesher with Hashem than you ever had before!
Instead of getting down on ourselves after a fall, let us reflect back on how many times we did manage to say “no” to the Yetzer Hara before he won us over now! Let’s recall the many tens - if not hundreds - of times during the past clean-streak that we didn’t give in to him! We definitely have the upper hand in this war. He is determined to make us feel down so that we should continue to slip. But let us focus on the overall picture. Even though we may have lost a battle now, we are still winning the war by far. Let’s rejoice about our successes and get right back up for the next round, where, B’Ezras Hashem, we will do even better!

we never loose past gains. a fall can be gotten rid of with teshuva, but when we pass, it is eternal.
when we have a fall, it is not that we spilled our cup and have to start over, its that we put the one cup into a safe place and are now starting over on the 2nd cup....but we never loose the contents we put into the cup.

when we have a fall, its not for depression, but look and tell youself how many times you said no!

Completely by accident i clicked on this particular forum, and found this thread. It's so appropriate!

Keep on growing! Imagine a guy has a growing business and has 4 successes and 1 set back. He's still three steps ahead of the game.

It was no accident!

serenity wrote:


Reminds me about Una's drunkard, who took one step and then three steps back over and over and over again. Somehow he reached the end of the block, provin' of course that.....

cordnoy

Thank you Cords for the words of wisdom , but seriously, If a person, drunk or otherwise takes one step forwards and then three steps backwards, besides for bumping into the little old lady crossing the street behind him, he is actually gaining! Leaving the drunk walker for a moment (be back soon - don't worry) Even if someone falls to the yetzer harah more then he overcomes his temptations, he still doesn't lose out on the gains, however few they may be! There is no neat ledger in heaven with a good column and a bad column, one side neatly canceling out the other. All sins, however few need to be dealt with (at the right time, in the right way) and all wins, however few will forever stay strong to the persons everlasting credit welcoming him upon his grand entry to the upcoming world to come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!