When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his hometown. He set his house in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
2 SAMUEL 17:23 (CSB)

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Ahithophel may have overvalued his importance. 

He was a wise man, a sage. He saw clearly what others could not. He almost always knew the right thing to do and the right way to do it. On this occasion, he gave wise advice that would have accomplished its purpose. However, his insight was in direct opposition to God’s plans. 

He discovered that he was not smarter than God. He could not outwit the Almighty. Having taken a traitorous turn away from David and toward his rebellious son, he was now a dead man for sure, no matter how things worked out. So he took matters into his own hands before anyone with a sword came looking for him. 

Talk about your bad days. I wonder if it was a rainy Monday? 

Now and again, each of us has a bad day. Setbacks are a normal part of life. Sometimes those reversals are so painful that we wish we could run away and hide and forget all about what happened. King David said it like this during a difficult season of life:

I said, “If only I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find rest.
(Psalm 55:6)

This sounds like the Southwest Airlines commercials when they ask, “Wanna get away?”

The Apostle Peter had one of the worst reversals, and one of the best, of all time. One day he told Jesus he would go with him to the death. Then as Jesus was on trial right before being put to death, Peter denied even knowing him. That is a pretty serious violation. Jesus restored him after the resurrection. Peter got to begin again. 

If Peter can be restored, so can you and I. There is nothing you or I will ever do that Jesus cannot turn around by his grace and in his mercy. Jesus makes it possible for us to fail forward. This is true even on rainy days and Mondays.

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I will join Peter in learning how to fail forward.

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Our Father, I need help with my recovery rate. Setbacks and failures knock me off course. Please redirect me as often as necessary to put me back on the path of life. Give me recovery from life’s bumps, bruises, and wounded egos. Empower me to fail forward, to begin again more intelligently. Restore me and renew me. May this rainy day and Monday be the place I turn around. Amen.