The Bounce Back

"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." - Proverbs 24:16
 
Everyone loves a comeback story. But what we often forget is that every great comeback starts with a setback. Even the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan, understood this. He said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
 
Jordan’s success wasn’t defined by how perfectly he performed but by how he responded to his failures. He knew that every missed shot, every loss, and every disappointment wasn’t the end. It was an opportunity to learn, grow, and come back stronger.
 
We all experience losses in life. Whether it’s a failed relationship, a missed opportunity, a financial setback, or just feeling like you didn’t measure up, the pain of falling short is real. And faith in Jesus doesn’t exempt you from that pain. It’s not a magic shield that keeps you from ever feeling the sting of failure.
 
But what faith does give you is the strength to get back up. It gives you the perspective to see your failures as stepping stones instead of dead ends. It empowers you to turn your pain into progress and your struggles into growth.
 
See, setbacks are part of the journey. You will take losses. You will have moments when you fall short. But your failure doesn’t define you. What defines you is how you respond to it.
 
Just like Big Sean said in his song “Bounce Back,” it’s not about whether you take an “L.” It’s about whether you bounce back. And the beauty of following Jesus is that He gives you the strength to do exactly that.
 
So, when life knocks you down, don’t stay down. Turn to the One who gives you the power to rise again. Your losses are not the end of the story. They’re just part of the process that leads you to something greater.