Have you ever had a major setback in life? Many people suffered some sort of a setback during the pandemic. As we continue to talk about work and the different places we invest our time and energy, it often brings to mind situations in which we felt loss. We did everything right and yet, through no fault of our own, we lost something important. I’m willing to bet that many of you reading this have lost a job or a business. If you’re in the ministry, maybe you lost a congregation or your church shut down. Whatever the case, when you have done your very best, and it still doesn’t work out, it can leave you feeling discouraged and disillusioned. Sometimes, you may wonder if it even mattered. 

Perhaps the greatest temptation when we have done our very best to honor God and treat people right and we still lose an opportunity is to blame ourselves. As we seek to rationalize what happened and use our limited human perspective to find answers, we often revert to a wrong belief that God is punishing us. Sometimes, as strange as it may seem, coming up with these imagined scenarios actually makes us feel better in the short-term. However, assuming that we are the reason things don’t work out, this takes God off the throne of our lives and harms us in the meantime. The truth is, He’s just not that predictable! 

Friend, the Lord is not like you and His providence is unsearchable. Since He is God, He moves in ways that you can’t understand because He sees the big picture; He knows history from beginning to end and He sees clearly where you need to be in every season of your life, including this one. Despite your shortcomings, mistakes, or misunderstandings, He sees you, He loves you, and He will get you to where you are supposed to go. Nothing is wasted in His Kingdom, so where you are right now is right where you need to be! Isn’t that great news?