You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 NIV
Our God loves a good comeback story! There are so many of them scattered throughout history and recorded in the bible. Joseph became Egypt's second in command after suffering as a slave for many years. Moses became a leader of the Israelites after hiding for 40 years because of a crime he committed. Paul became an Apostle who wrote 13 books in the New Testament after he persecuted Christians. These people came back from serious struggles and pain to do amazing things!
The greatest comeback story of all time is the story of our salvation. The people thought they had defeated Jesus by hanging Him on the cross, but God had a different plan. He was going to literally use Jesus's broken body to save all of His children from sin. Jesus came back to life three days after He died on the cross. Even death could not stop Jesus's comeback.
Jesus's story paves the way for so many others to receive their own comebacks.
Just recently I had a comeback of my own. Over a year ago I suffered from a labral tear in my right shoulder, resulting in two surgeries and me missing my entire freshman year of sports. I didn't get to play again until last Thursday (one day before the one year anniversary of my first surgery). I played better than I used to play, with more confidence and freedom. I wasn't stuck in my head anymore, but rather I was able to just have fun!
Throughout the entirety of my recovery, I learned some very valuable lessons which allowed me to get through the journey and have a more inspiring comeback. God was writing my comeback story long before I even got hurt. He knew what was going to happen and He knew how I was going to grow through it all. All I had to do was trust Him and listen to what He was teaching me. And, because I accepted His help, I'm able to share the lessons I learned with others and make a difference in someone else's life.
Friend, if you are struggling right now with a disappointment or a setback, I want you to know that God is already writing your comeback story. He uses our brokenness, our mistakes, and our setbacks and He turns them into something beautiful. He builds us up for an incredible comeback while we are stuck in the valley of our struggles. And, He has comebacks for every situation in life; you simply have to believe it's true and invite Him in.
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