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God’s plans are not upset by our setbacks.
by JOHN MEADOR
I’VE DISCOVERED an amazing thing about the greatest people of the Bible. Reading their stories, I saw a common theme. Many of them believed God was done with them. They felt their actions, circumstances, or age had left them without purpose or meaning in life.
In those narratives, I saw dead ends, disastrous mistakes, deep valleys of darkness, and overwhelming grief. Their stories, despite the hopeless situations they faced, have encouraging and surprising conclusions. Their final testimony was, “God’s not done with me.”
Let me personalize this for you: God’s not done with you!
At times it certainly seems like God is finished with us. I’ve been in places where I wondered if God even knew where I was. As a pastor, I’ve walked with many who’ve pondered, Where are You, God? How will You meet me in this mess?
Let me encourage you with this: The God who intervened in the lives of those mentioned in the Bible can do the same for you. I know this not just from their experiences but also from my own experience. These stories are recorded so you will experience God in your own life.
Moses Was Angry
Moses was one of the most prolific, passionate people in the Bible. His first 40 years were spent in a palace, having been surprisingly rescued as a baby from the Nile River by Pharaoh’s daughter. Brought up in splendor, he walked with royalty.
His next 40 years, however, were spent on the backside of the desert after he angrily assaulted an Egyptian oppressor who was beating a fellow Hebrew. Moses lived in that strange land until God called to him from a burning bush and sent him on a mission to deliver Israel. God was not done with him, but Moses didn’t know it for 40 years.
There are so many things we don’t know about God’s plans for us.
Imagine being 80 years old and wondering if God has any significant purpose for your life. It was only when God brought Moses to a place where he could be alone with God that Moses listened to God and finally submitted, “I am ready.” The last 40 years of Moses’ life was one of the greatest stories in history. We know it as “the exodus.”
Elijah Was Discouraged
What about Elijah? This great prophet went from supernatural victory on Mount Carmel to a dark valley of discouragement in a matter of hours — a stunning reversal. Elijah was so weary and empty. He said to God, “‘I have had enough! Lord, take my life’” (1 Kings 19:4). Some call this the dark night of the soul. So many have been there.
God shined light into this dark season of Elijah’s life with a personal encounter on a mountain where He asked the piercing question, “‘What are you doing here,’” and gave Elijah the next step needed to get up and finish well (1 Kings 19:9). Elijah’s greatest fear was a gruesome death at the hands of Jezebel, but in the end, he didn’t die at all! How’s that for an amazing comeback?
God was not done with Elijah.
David Was Overcome With Grief
Then there is King David. Everyone knows about David’s infamous act of adultery with Bathsheba, but we forget the grief on the other side of his repentance. Bathsheba had a child, and Nathan the prophet told David the child would die. David was stricken with grief and interceded passionately with fasting and prayer.
David’s child died as a direct result of judgment, but not all grief happens due to sin. Life itself brings grief. There are times we do all the right things and still face loss and sorrow. It’s incredibly painful and lonely.
David likely concluded that God was done with him, but he would have been wrong. Scripture says David got up, changed his clothes, and worshiped. He then made a profound statement. “‘I’ll go to him, but he will never return to me’” (2 Sam. 12:23). In other words, “I can’t change what has happened, but I can look to the future in spite of my loss.”
It was the beginning of the comeback story in David’s life. God wasn’t through with him, after all, and David knew he had to get up and go on despite his grief. It’s one of the greatest lessons of his life.
But God Was Not Done
One wonders, “How does God orchestrate these kinds of comebacks in life?” And then we remember, He’s God.
Moses was angry.
Elijah was discouraged.
David was overcome with grief.
Each could have reasonably concluded, “God’s done with me.” Each would have been wrong. God brought them all through difficult seasons and was clearly not done with them.
You may be in the same place they were. Let me remind you of the truths that helped sustain them:
- God is always aware of where you are. (See Luke 12:6-7.)
- God is with you. (See Heb. 13:5.)
- God keeps His promises. (See Phil. 1:6.)
- Waiting on God brings new chapters in life. (See Isa. 40:31.)
- God uses hard seasons to create greater seasons. (See Gen. 50:20.)
Jesus, of course, has the greatest comeback story of all time. What God knew all along, the world was left to wonder. Those closest to Jesus did not understand why God would allow Him to experience such a horrific death. Most of the disciples fled in fear.
Three days later, the world awakened to a resurrected Jesus, and suddenly everything made sense. The world celebrates this on Easter, but every day is a resurrection day for Jesus’ followers. It’s quite a comeback story! Jesus is still alive and engineering comeback stories among us.
“God’s not done with you” is a way of thinking — a perspective of life. If you’re still here, God’s not done with you. It is just like God to cause the latter chapters of your life to be much greater than the former ones.
May you say with Paul, “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead” (Phil. 3:13).
Believe He has plans for you. Forget what lies behind. Reach forward to what lies ahead!
God’s not done with you!
JOHN MEADOR, author of God’s Not Done With You, has served as a lead pastor for 40 years, most recently at Cross City Church in Euless, Texas, since 2006. He and his wife, Kim, have been married 44 years and are the grateful parents of six grown children. Learn more at JohnMeador.com.
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