The 'Set Back' before the 'Come Up'

Since the start of the year I haven't really been in a happy frame of mind. It's like one thing is hurled at me one after the other. It even got to the point where my faith and hope began to waiver. I barely left my room. I would literally just lie in bed and cry until I fell asleep. I'd have frequent anxiety attacks and just panic about everything. I stopped praying and just locked away my emotions so I wouldn't have to face them. I recently came to accept that I am broken and I need to let God in again to fix me.

I know for a fact I'm not the only one that goes through such experiences. Constantly we have times when we're down. When we feel like there is nobody else to turn to. The pain just builds up and surrounds us. Suddenly life just becomes one massive tornado and when it finally dies down it appears that everything around us is destroyed and the future seems bleak. However in Jeremiah 29:11 we are shown that God does not plan to let us dwell in our sufferings. He has much more in store for us.

I remember a sermon that I heard last year entitled the 'discordant chord'. The pastor said that often composers insert a discordant chord into a piece of music to encourage the listener to engage in the music and appreciate the smooth sound before and after that particular chord was inserted. It's the same with our lives. Things could be going so smoothly that you start to get comfortable and when you start to get comfortable you slowly drift away. God doesn't want you to drift so sometimes he allows things to happen to alert you of your current position and where you actually need to be in life. When these things happen we tend to see them as 'setbacks'...

One of my all time favourite bible stories illustrates what I'm trying to say perfectly. The story of Joseph (the full story can be found in Genesis 37-45). Joseph's brothers out of envy sold him as a slave to the Egyptians. A couple of years later Joseph was then imprisoned for something he didn't do. Whilst in prison Joseph was able to use his God given talent of interpreting dreams and as a result years later he became known to the Pharaoh and became second in command over all Egypt. Even though I didn't tell the story in full, the few points that I picked out can hopefully illustrate to you that on the face of things Joseph being sold as a slave could be seen as a 'setback' but God put him in that position because many years later he was put into a position of power and was able to save many from starvation.

It's the same principle with us. In order for us to reach the heights that God wants us to reach we must be put in a place where we can get to them. This could be losing friends because they're not a good influence on you. Or losing your job because God has a greater work for you in store. Whatever your situation today please don't give up and dwell in your sorrows. Talk to God. Ask him to make a way for you that you can reach your full potential and claim your blessings. Ultimately keep your eyes on the Lord. Your problems now don't even compare to the wonderful things in store for your future.

Whilst we walk this earth we will come across many obstacles but there will come a day where the things of this earth shall be no more. John 14:1-3 says

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also"

Remember to keep a joyful song in your heart and your head held high x