On our journey with God, we sometimes face confusing setbacks. At those times, we believe Him to be pointing us in a certain direction and we wholeheartedly give ourselves to pursuing it. Because we trust in Him and believe we have heard Him, we do not consider the possibility of things not working out the way we anticipate; we take risks and put our hopes in the expected outcome of the situation at hand.

But God, who knows the beginning from the end, sees what lies ahead and, unknown to us, prepares our hearts for the real outcome we will encounter. When such an outcome is unfavorable and contrary to our expectations, we feel disappointed and sad. However, these emotions do not hurt us permanently. Our faith may be shaken temporarily but we soon find that we are able to arise out of the pit and walk on with God.

The enemy counts such as defeat, but we count it as one of the complexities of living a life of faith and walking with One whose ways are too great for our minds to fully comprehend.

Pray: Lord, give me strength to walk on with you even in the face of setbacks and disappointments. Strengthen my trust in you and restore that which the enemy has sought to steal from me. I thank You and bless Your Name though Christ my Lord, Amen.

Meditate: “A woman, when she gives birth to a child, has grief (anguish, agony) because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers her pain (trouble, anguish) because she is so glad that a man (a child, a human being) has been born into the world. So for the present you are also in sorrow (in distress and depressed); but I will see you again and [then] your hearts will rejoice, and no one can take from you your joy (gladness, delight)” – John 16:21-22 Amplified Bible.