In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
Daniel 1:1
…The book of Daniel begins with defeat. For the people of God it was a time of disappointment, difficulties, and downright despair as they watched their city invaded, their armies defeated, and their young people led off into captivity. Certainly, to say the least, it was not their greatest moment. And yet, that was the very starting point God used as the backdrop for one of the Bible’s grandest stories.
Yes, your story might very well be one of “defeat” right now. But that doesn’t mean your story is over. In fact, in the Kingdom of God, it means your story is just beginning. Never forget that God loves to build on the ruins and He loves to use our greatest setbacks as the backdrop for His most glorious works. Take heart. Your best days are before you and your best chapters are yet to be written.