From Setbacks to Comebacks
Author of 40 Days to Look Again
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV).
Sometimes loss doesn't make sense. And time doesn't always give us answers. Dreams don't work out. We hit dead ends.
Something you gave everything to gets taken away, and you’re left wondering:
Is this how it ends? Is this how I'll be remembered? Is this the last thing I get to do?
I've asked those exact questions. For a long time, I would have told you my life was about my faith and my family. But in reality? Football was on the throne. I was pouring my greatest effort and my deepest passion into something that wasn’t going to last.
And when that door closed, I lost part of my identity.
What I was really dealing with was my own pride — the setback, the frustration of it. And here's the thing: I knew so many biblical truths and promises. But it's so hard to hold on to them in those moments.
What I've come to believe, after walking through that season, is this: It's impossible to have a comeback without a setback. Literally impossible. I felt as though God kept asking me: Will you be willing to look through the difficulty into the opportunity? Will you be willing to view that setback as a setup?
Romans 8:28 says, “… in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Read that slowly. Not in some things. Not in the tidy things. God works in "all things" — even the things you'd give anything to undo. That wrecks me, because I know how fast bitterness can creep in. And when it does, without even knowing it, what we're really saying is, God, You messed up my plan.
But His plans are good, and don't you think if they're good for God, they should be good for you?
So what do we do with the broken pieces? We surrender them. Surrender isn't giving up — it's giving over. It's saying, God, I choose to be grateful right now. I choose not to be bitter. I choose to give this to You, because You can handle it. Surrender means casting my cares on Him because I know He cares for me. And I'm going to say it and speak it even when I don't feel it.
So if you're wondering today whether your story can still go on after disappointment, after defeat, after rejection — hear me: The answer is yes.
With God, you don't win or lose. You win, or you learn.
And what you're viewing as the biggest setback of your life might actually be the greatest setup of your life.
Father, You are powerful enough to redeem anything, and I'm choosing to trust You with what I think is broken. Thank You that my hope isn’t in my own strength but in Yours. I ask that You use my situation to create something good for Your Kingdom, and help me look forward with confidence in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
If today's reminder stirred something in you, there's so much more where it came from. 40 Days to Look Again by Tim Tebow is a 40-day journey to embrace your worth, reclaim your hope, and run with confidence, one honest day at a time. Grab a copy here!
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (NIV).
Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (NIV).
What is one “broken piece” or closed door in your life right now that you are finding hard to fully surrender over to God?
Looking back at your own story, can you see a past setback that God actually used as a setup for something better? How did He change your perspective through it? Share with us in the comments!
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Wednesday, 09 September 2026.
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