Live Happy … Today – Day 2

Wimbledon 2012: Rafael Nadal, the number two-seed in the Wimbledon tennis tournament (at the time), arrived at the court to play his match against Lukas Rasol, the 100th player on the world rankings. There was no doubt that Nadal would be the winner. He already was the 2008 and 2010 Wimbledon champion and won the French Open tournament a few weeks before with a record seventh consecutive time. This, compared to the 26-year-old Czech, Rasol, who in his Wimbledon career lost five consecutive times in the first round.

Great was the shock to spectators, sport commentators and especially to Nadal when Rasol won the match hours later, sending Nadal home. This defeat, ranked as one of the biggest Wimbledon shocks in the history of the tournament (at the time), shattered Rafael’s dream to win his twelfth Grand Slam tournament.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar state of shock and disappointment in which you could only blame yourself? Moses was there. His temper caused him to change from an Egyptian prince in the palace to a criminal fleeing for his life, in a single day. Jonah had a similar experience. Due to his disobedience to God, he changed from a prophet with a mission from God, to a man stuck in the fish’s belly. David experienced it too. In one day, he changed from being a man after God’s own heart to a murderer who committed adultery.

How do you handle those situations of disappointment? Do you turn back to God like Moses, Jonah and David did? Do you confess your sin and accept responsibility for your wrong choices, trusting God to work everything together for the good in your life?

In Psalm 62:8 the Psalmist writes: “Trust in him (God) at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” And in Romans 8:28 we read: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Rafael Nadal did not hang up his racket after his Wimbledon disappointment. You too should not give up hope for a better future after a disappointment. Remember, God can use any difficult, shocking situation to pull you closer to him and to demonstrate his power to you. He might even use it to prepare you for, perhaps, the biggest breakthrough in your future. Will you trust him to do it? God bless.