Your life without God is like an arrow without a bow. If I were to find a very athletic person, hand them an arrow, and ask them to throw it as far as they could, while they would probably get it to go a little ways, they wouldn’t have nearly the same reach as a person of average strength furnished with both a bow and an arrow. Though it’s a simple analogy, the truth is that even if we possess great skill, we are not equipped to cut through the trajectory of life on our own. While we may have great form and wonderful potential, we need a strength beyond ourselves to live up to our full capacity. Thankfully, Jesus is that strength, and because we rest in His quiver, we can live in confident assurance that when the time is right, He will lift us up and send us soaring to the destiny He has prepared. However, before He lets us lose, He may have to pull us back. Like the archer must move the arrow behind him in order to build tension and momentum, the Lord may strip our lives of some things as He prepares us for what’s to come. When this happens, it’s vital to remember that without resistance, we couldn’t build the confidence, faith, and patience needed to send us forward into the future.

My friend, though you may not be where you thought you’d be today, remember that what looks like a setback is really a setup for something better. While COVID-19 may have impacted your immediate future, God is using this season to sharpen your faith so you will have an even greater impact when He releases you to soar in the direction of your dreams. Nothing catches Him by surprise, and you can rest in easy rhythms of grace knowing that He will get you to your destination in His perfect time. Your steps are ordered by His Hand and He is working in every season and circumstance to make you more like Jesus.