In each passing day there are challenges testing our faith. One day everything is going well and the next day things start spiraling downward. Setbacks are a fact of life and many of us will experience more than one in our lifetime. But setbacks aren’t permanent so long as you keep faith in the power of the Lord who is more than capable of bringing you out of a troubled time. When God brings you out, it becomes a time of great joy and jubilation.
There is a TV commercial about a homeowner who lost her house and all her belongings two different times due to tragic circumstances. The commercial is for homeowner’s insurance but what it really highlights is how unpredictable tragic events can happen in a person’s life. First, the homeowner lost her house due to a fire. The insurance company paid for the house to be rebuilt. A few years later, a hurricane destroyed her rebuilt house and again her homeowner’s insurance provider rebuilt her house. Both events were horrific setbacks but she didn’t allow them to destroy her faith or belief that she would recover from her losses.
Throughout biblical history, we discover people lifted out of their demise to victory by their faith rooted in the power of God. Theologians say that often what seems like a setback is really a setup for a comeback. They go on to say that “there’s no greater illustration of this than what we know and celebrate as Good Friday.”
On the Saturday between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday so long ago, it seemed all was lost. But we know it’s not over until God says it’s over. The greatest spiritual victory in history was won on the heels of its seemingly greatest defeat. All was lost, but not for long. It is recorded that after his crucifixion and burial on Friday, the Lord walked out of his tomb on the third day, Sunday morning.
This is what I believe. In God’s kingdom a bleak prognosis, a mission gone awry or a heartbreaking loss is never the final chapter. Not if you have faith and belief in the power of creation and protection. You won’t always bounce right back from every setback you face but there is one thing for certain: there can be a comeback. The physical and spiritual battles we will encounter are always won through the power of the Lord.
When you have a career, family or other setback, don’t take a step back because God is preparing your comeback. Good Friday lets us know that the war has been decisively won. The victory was sealed two thousand years ago when the Lord broke the seal of his tomb. So, Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Chaplain Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
