Setback

“Every setback means you’re one step closer to seeing the dream come to pass.” - Joel Osteen

I have felt the consequences of a setback. The side effects are devastation, sadness, disappointment and the desire to give up. It began with a dream. That dream turned into a goal. That goal became a plan and next thing I know the plan was in motion. I was running to capture the flag that I could see in my heart’s desire. I would profess it with my lips. I would dream about it at night. I had faith in God that it was going to happen. I felt He must have placed that dream inside of me and this was our journey together to get to the end.

Then one day, I had a setback. It felt like I tripped and it hurt. I was sad for a moment. But it’s okay. Disappointments are the bumpers pushing you in the right direction, right? So maybe I underestimated the plan a bit. No problem. We will start to head North instead of West. I started running again after recovering. I’m back in that vibe of feeling regenerated and energized. The setback is now a thing of the past. This new plan is going to be great. I can just feel it. Wait, is that a wall up ahead? Indeed it was. I had hit another set back. Now I am confused. We just changed the plan. There should not be another roadblock here. This path was turning into a maze! It was more than sadness this time. Now confusion had joined in with disappointment. 

However, there is nothing like the door fully closing and feeling devastation being the final draw. When that journey suddenly closes in front of you and there is nothing left but empty air and you are left reeling. Why? I thought this was it? I thought I was walking toward my dream. Yet all I seem to have done is taken steps backwards. Have you ever felt this way or similar? Have you been left reeling about your dream not working out at all? It is a very hard pill to swallow.

Why would God place a dream in your heart but not allow you to reach it? 

Here’s a new question for you. Are you sure He gave you that dream or did you give it to yourself? The answer is the key. God has a huge dream for your life. He doesn’t always reveal it because He knows we will mess it up. It’s like giving a toddler your expensive family heirloom. Wait until they are old enough to handle what is already theirs. We too have to wait for ours. But as we journey there, we will see other jewelry along the way and want it. It will bring desire in our hearts and we will suddenly go running for it. But like a loving parent God has to block us. It does not belong to us. We have something bigger and better. We just don’t know it and can’t see it. The devastation we feel over that necklace doesn’t compare to the day we turn 21 and are handed the key to the safe. 

It begins with a dream or a desire. But if you keep hitting setback after setback, it is a sign. It is not because you are a failure, or need to do better or don’t deserve it. Your treasure is coming. We just need to understand this one did not belong to us. But the thing that does is still out and and we will love it even more. It was made specially for us making it the perfect fit.