How to Bounce Back By Using God's Grace
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really planned for setbacks. Well, let me not lie. I am very Type A, so I always have a plan for a plan, but for the most part, I never actually planned on using those backup plans. Although I’m naturally a worrier, I always expect my plans to work out the way I concocted them to. But the older I get, the more I’m understanding that things rarely go as planned, and Proverbs 19:21 is there to remind me of that truth -- “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
Well, let’s just say that the Lord’s purposes have been a serious deviation to my plans as of late. Maybe you find yourself in a similar position. Maybe you planned to have graduated by now. Maybe you planned to be working full-time in your dream career by now. Maybe you planned to have children by now. Maybe you planned to be making a stable income by now...but none of what you planned is happening. Instead of seeing progress, maybe it feels like you’re experiencing a setback. You are set back from where you thought you would be. But what if I told you that what you’re going through isn’t a setback? What if it is a part of God’s purpose and plan?
Many times we mistake God’s timing as a setback. Because He’s not moving fast enough or according to our timeline, we’re failing, missing out, or not moving forward. That’s how the enemy likes to frame God. He makes us think that God is working against us and not for us, and that’s simply not true. God is always working for our good -- even in the midst of a “setback.” If you’re experiencing a setback, here’s how you can use God’s grace to rebound from it.
Trust in God’s Timing
Just because God’s not working according to your projected timeline doesn’t mean that you are experiencing a setback. Maybe the reality is that you’re not ready. Or maybe He’s protecting you or trying to teach you a lesson. Either way, learn how to rest in His timing. A setback doesn’t mean that it’s the end or that it’s a no. Maybe it’s divine interference for something better later.
Realize a setback doesn’t equal failure.
Experience failure does not make you a failure. Take failure for what it is -- a learning opportunity. Figure out how to take failure and use it for your advantage. The lessons that you are learning now will better prepare you for when it’s time for you to win later.
Point out the positive.
No matter how dark your situation is, there is always a silver lining. Point out the positives in your situation. Do you have more time available in result of your situation? Has the setback shown you a person’s true colors? Do you have more time to prepare for what’s ahead? When you look hard enough you can always find a positive.
Learn from your mistakes.
Is there a possibility that you might have participated in what caused the “setback?” Take ownership for your mistakes and the part you played. What lessons have you learned? How can you prevent yourself from making the same mistakes in the future? By learning from your mistakes you can avoid making the same ones again in the future, thus preventing more setbacks.
Choose grace moving forward.
Whether you’re experiencing a true setback or just impatience with God’s timing, choose His grace. God’s grace will cover you as you transition into your next season. His grace will free you from the world’s timeline and standards for your life. His grace will give you the faith to trust His timeline and not your own.
The next time you’re experiencing a setback, I challenge you to redefine it as a part of God’s purpose and plan. When we choose to see our setbacks through the lens of His grace, we’ll be able to see them for what they really are -- God’s grace, provision, providence, and perfect timing.
Need help bouncing back from your setback? Book a free Clarity Session with me! In our session, I will help you clear the clutter that's in your life and help you strategize a plan for how you can move forward in spite of your setbacks. Book your session below.
How do you rebound from life’s setbacks? Let me know in the comments below!
