Sunday Sermonettes | The God of Hope Is There to Lift You Up When You Are Defeated

Sunday Sermonettes #078

Have you ever felt hopeless after facing defeat?

Whom did you blame? What excuse did you tell yourself? Did you promise that you would quit?

But if you decide to rise again, where do you start?

The simplest step is this: stop making excuses. Accept responsibility for your fall. Make a commitment to try once more.

And do not forget — the God of hope is there to lift you up when you are defeated.

You can hold on to God in hope. Here is how Prophet Micah expressed this.

“Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light (Micah 7:8 Bible).”

So, let not your defeats discourage you. Avoid distractions and focus on the task ahead. God loves you not because you succeed all the time. He knows what is in your heart. He knows what your motives are. He knows that you tried your very best; but failed.

The way he calculates points is entirely different from the way we evaluate and judge our own performances. His final analysis is about whether you loved him with all your heart and soul and mind and strength. If you tried your best and failed; he still accepts you.

Now if you are looking for one word of assurance, one word of encouragement that will lift you up from your bed of despair, this is it. God is telling you,

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands –(Isaiah 49:16 Bible).”

To be engraved means to be remembered always.

To be engraved means to be held by the mighty and strong hand of God.

To be engraved means to permanently belong.

To be engraved, again, means that no one can snatch you out of God’s hand even when you have failed.

You are his, precious child of God. Do not let defeats and failures throw you down. Shake off the dust. Accept the forgiveness of God. Rise up and move on to do your best work yet!

—

Featured image courtesy: Image by RonRatte from Pixabay