March 15 ~ Psalm 21:7
LORD Most High, the king trusts you, and your kindness keeps him from defeat.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Let’s talk about a couple of words today – disappointment and defeat. We use the word “defeat” for several situations in life, but honestly, few of us are ever truly defeated. And after reading this passage, I am beginning to think we Christians should NEVER use this word. Yes, we will be disappointed from time to time. Things don’t work out like we hoped. We lose contests and elections… we don’t get the job we wanted – or the girl/guy… we suffer devastating illnesses, injuries, and other tragedies. I’m here to tell you, the devil is on the clock 24/7 to throw us some serious curves in life and make us feel defeated. But in truth, defeat is not possible, because God is protecting us.
Read all of Psalm 21 and you will see how powerful and protective God is toward us. When Satan knocks you down and saps your health, strength and spirit, remember that God guards you. Sometimes He says, “Enough… come home and live with me,” but even death is not a defeat for Christians. When we experience disappointments, God offers solutions and hope… and a way to pick ourselves up and keep going.
Consider evangelist Joyce Meyer, who writes of her childhood abuse and a disastrous first marriage that ended even before the birth of her young son. Months after the baby was born, she met Dave - her husband of now more than 30 years. Dave was praying for God to bring him a woman who needed help. WOW – that’s some prayer! But God allowed Dave to help turn Joyce’s early disappointments into tremendous victories. She was NEVER defeated.
I watched a dear classmate and her family lose everything in a house fire – including vital personal documents, family photos, and more. They trusted God to help them rebuild – and He answered. Then a few years later, my friend developed breast cancer… another potential “defeat.” But she trusted God once again. She would tell me, “I’m fine, and I’ll be okay no matter what.” And when God called her home, these words echoed in my mind. Even in death, she was not defeated.
I don’t know your circumstances. God does. Consider the ball team who makes it to the championship game, only to lose. First, second, or even third-runner-ups are disappointed, but they are not defeated. I guarantee you that on every one of those teams, there will be countless success stories that we may never hear, but they are there nonetheless. Maybe a team member overcame some sort of struggle along the way and is better for it. Maybe another was given a college scholarship and allowed to obtain a degree and hope for a future that would never have happened otherwise. Maybe someone was not chosen for American Idol but was “discovered” for some other venue that proved to be far more stable and lasting. Once an employer did not select me for a teaching position, and I was devastated. But nearly twenty-five years and a successful publishing “career” later, I am grateful that God steered me in a different direction.
My point is this. We humans often suffer a disappointment, and we throw up our hands and declare it a defeat. This is “stinkin’ thinkin’!” The word “defeat” should not be in the Christian vocabulary, because God covers us in kindness, grace, mercy – love – and defeat is not possible. Trust God to cover you in kindness. Trust Him to turn your disappointments in to opportunities for growth and new direction. Trust Him to know what is best for your life and to show you how to keep moving forward. Trust GOD to handle Satan and his army – and to never allow him to deliver you a defeat. We may be temporarily disappointed, but we are NEVER defeated… and there IS a difference!
©2010 Debbie Robus
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