Handling setbacks without believing your back at the start
Why one difficult day or failure doesn’t erase the work God has being doing in your life.
5 Minute Read
I Thought I Was Doing Better...
"I was doing so well."
"I hadn't thought about this in weeks."
"I thought I had finally moved past it."
Then, seemingly out of nowhere...he thoughts came back.
The anxiety surged.
You found yourself replaying old fears.
Maybe you even performed a ritual you thought you had left behind months ago.
Immediately another conclusion rushed in.
"I've ruined everything."
"I'm back at square one."
"Nothing actually changed."
For many people, the hardest part isn't the setback itself.
It's the meaning they immediately assign to it.
They don't just think, "Today was hard."
They think that, “Here we go again.”
Branson's Story
Branson had noticed something changing.
The intrusive thoughts hadn't disappeared completely, but they no longer consumed every waking hour.
He was laughing with his wife again.
He had started helping with dinner instead of avoiding the kitchen.
He was serving at church again.
His children no longer felt like interruptions to his battle.
Life wasn't perfect.
But it was becoming fuller.
Then one Thursday afternoon, without warning, an old intrusive thought returned.
Not just briefly.
It lingered.
By the time he drove home, he found himself mentally replaying conversations, searching for certainty, and performing some of the same mental rituals he hadn't relied on for months.
Sitting in his driveway, he quietly thought,
"I thought I was done with all of this."
He walked inside discouraged.
Not because of the intrusive thought.
But because he believed the intrusive thought had erased everything God had been doing in his life.
But Had It?
That question became more important than Branson realized.
Because the issue wasn't simply whether he had experienced another intrusive thought.
The issue was how he interpreted it.
He assumed one difficult afternoon had canceled months of quiet growth.
But was that actually true?
The story we tell ourselves after a bad day
Branson's story was: "Nothing has changed."
Someone else's story is: "I'll always be this way."
Another person's story is: "God must be disappointed."
Another: "I'm back at the beginning."
God Measures Growth Differently Than We Do
Our scorecard:
Did I feel anxious?
Did I have intrusive thoughts?
Did I perform a ritual?
Did I fail today?
God's concern seems far deeper.
Am I becoming more humble?
More patient?
More loving?
More dependent?
Quicker to repent?
More willing to trust?
More available to others?
More like Christ?
Sanctification Usually Looks Slower Than We Want
Most people imagine change like climbing stairs.
God often works more like growing an oak tree.
Quietly.
Gradually.
Almost invisibly.
Until one day...you realize something substantial has changed.
Think of David.
Think of Jacob.
Think of the disciples.
God almost never transformed them overnight.
He patiently reshaped them over years.
Don't Build Your Theology Around Your Worst Day
One difficult day can become a terrible theologian.
If Elijah had interpreted God's faithfulness while sitting under the broom tree...he would've missed the next chapter.
If Thomas had concluded the story before seeing Christ...he would've remained in despair.
Doubting forever.
Our beliefs direct our behaviors.
At times you have to interrogate the beliefs. Why? Because your beliefs are speaking deeper than just self but, ultimately God.
Branson Began Asking Better Questions
Instead of "Did I fail?"
He asked "What did I do next?"
Instead of "Did I have intrusive thoughts?"
He asked "Did I continue loving my wife?"
Instead of "Was I perfectly calm?"
He asked "Did I remain faithful to what God placed in front of me?"
Instead of "Did today erase yesterday?"
He asked "What direction is my life actually moving?"
Hope for Today
What Should You Do After a Setback?
Don’t freak out.
Don't immediately analyze yourself.
Don't conclude the journey is over.
Instead:
Return to Scripture.
Return to ordinary responsibilities.
Return to church.
Return to your family.
Return to serving.
Return to today's faithfulness.
Not because you feel like it.
Because that is where God has called you.
Every mature Christian eventually learns something.
There are days when faith feels strong.
There are days when it feels painfully weak.
Yet through them all, Christ remains the same.
He is not patiently waiting for you to become flawless before continuing His work in you.
He has already committed Himself to finishing what He began.
So don't let one difficult day become the narrator of your entire story.
Tomorrow morning...get up.
And keep walking.
One difficult chapter has never been the whole story.
If you’d like to keep reading, you can find more here → Articles
And if talking it through would help you, your always welcome to reach out and schedule a one-on-one meeting to walk through this together.