A Setback is a Setup for a Comeback

Please read Exodus 1-6 before proceeding

Therefore, says to the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm…And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” –Exodus 6:6-8 (NIV)

You have to feel pretty good this morning if you’re a New York Giants fan. At one point this season, the Giants had lost four games in a row. People were calling for the head coach to be fired. People had all but crowned the Dallas Cowboys the division winner and the Green Bay Packers the Super Bowl Champions.

Someone forgot to tell the Giants that they were not supposed to salvage their season and return to the Super Bowl. Last night’s victory had to be sweet revenge for the players and coaches who never gave up on each other when it appeared as if most others had given up on them.

God had promised the Israelites that they would inherit the Promised Land. The Israelites were exceedingly fruitful and multiplied in numbers. Then the King of Egypt became concerned and began oppressing the Israelites with forced labor. He ordered that all male children be killed.

God’s choice to deliver the Israelites from bondage was a man names Moses. He was slow of speech and tongue, a man who had already murdered once and was on the run for his life. At one point, God even had thoughts of killing Moses because he had not circumcised his son according to God’s decree. The Israelites groaned and cried out, convinced that this “season” in their lives was not going to end well. Now I don’t want to ruin the story for you, but the Israelites finally do reach the Promised Land. It wasn’t as direct a route as they would have hoped, but they got there.

Several years ago, I read a Willie Jolley book entitled, “A Setback is a Setup for a Comeback.” The basic premise of the book is that people love a good comeback story. We love it when our team appears down and out and makes a comeback to salvage a game or a season. There’s no greater feeling in the world than beating the odds and silencing the doubters. The highest rated and most remembered games are the ones where one team falls behind and then storms back for the victory.

But you can’t have a comeback unless there’s a setback. I’m sure that the Israelites would have preferred just marching on into the Promised Land. I’m sure the Giants would have rather won more football games and played all of their playoff games at home. I’m sure you’d rather not have lost your job or your spouse or whatever other setback you’re experiencing. No one likes setbacks, but they’re not necessarily a bad thing. A setback can be a setup for a comeback. And reaching the Promised Land (whether it be the biblical Promised Land or the Super Bowl) is all the sweeter when you’ve had to come from behind to experience it.

May God grant you the grace to see the setbacks in your life as a setup for an awesome comeback. Don’t give up on yourself and don’t give up on God. Comebacks are His specialty.