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Super Bowl LI featured the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

The New England Patriots were facing the Atlanta Falcons. By halftime, viewers everywhere had already called the game. With a score of 28-3 and trailing by 25 points, the Patriots and Tom Brady had been given up on and ripped apart on social media – at least until the second half began. Brady led the Patriots on five straight scoring drives. The last touchdown wrapped up a Patriots 34-28 victory in the Super Bowl’s first-ever overtime.

Often in life, we feel like we are losing and have no way to bounce back. Many seasons are like a halftime locker room scene where we know we are too far behind, and everyone else knows it, too. Whether it’s our grades, performance, friendships, things we have done in the past, or other things out of our control, sometimes we feel like we are living in the middle of a 28-3 game of life.

There was a time when Moses had led the people for many years, but as he got older, God had other plans for him. God commanded Moses to pass the leadership off to Joshua. Moses knew that Joshua would face times that felt like a 28-3 game situation. Moses walked through it himself and encouraged Joshua, reminding him that no matter how hard it got, how difficult it seemed, or how dark the situation was, he should not be afraid and keep going because God was with him.

As we walk throughout our lives, we can take Moses’ words for our encouragement. When we feel defeated, given up on, or like we have messed up time and time again, we can remember not to be afraid and to keep pressing on because God is with us. We can walk hand in hand with our team, friends and community God has graciously given us, step out of the locker room, and find strength in God for a comeback.

Just as teams can’t let the first half define the outcome of a game, we can’t let our past determine the outcome of the rest of our lives. God wants to strengthen us, heal us, forgive us and help us. Let us not be afraid if the score of our lives is 28-3 because, with God, we can have an even greater comeback than the 2017 Super Bowl.