One Loss, Then What?

Through the first 15 games of Week 1 in the NFL, we witnessed impressive wins by the 49ers, Ravens, Jaguars, and Jets. We saw big surprises as the Cardinals and Vikings both won. The Eagles, Bills, Bengals, Giants, Steelers, and Lions all pulled out competitive games. Meanwhile, the Bears dropped 59 points but also gave up 37 to the Panthers.

The teams that won Week 1 are feeling pretty good and glad to get off to a winning start to the season. However, for the teams that start 0-1, how will they view their loss?

On one hand, the Texans, Patriots, and Saints can tell themselves it’s just one loss. They put themselves in the right position to win, but didn’t execute on a few key plays. They don’t need to beat themselves up, but they still need to take their mistakes seriously. They shouldn’t laugh it off or make light of it either, because it was a disappointing loss.

Other talented teams like the Rams, Packers, Cowboys, and Chargers can admit they blew it in Week 1 and expect to do better moving forward. While staying confident, they should recognize it’s just one loss and not who they truly are.

The biggest reality to consider for all teams, but especially the Dolphins, Titans, Falcons, Browns, and Panthers, is whether this one loss will lead to another loss and many more throughout the season. Will the Browns and Titans think, "Here we go again - we just can’t win, and it is what it is"?

None of these teams need to panic (well, maybe the Browns), but they must be willing to examine what went wrong, embrace the changes needed, and admit they can't keep playing like that if they want a winning season. They can't settle for another losing season or go back to their past ways. Instead, they must keep taking positive steps forward after their Week 1 loss.

Every game is huge in the NFL, so yes, one loss matters and can have consequences later on, but one loss doesn't have to mean two or three losses in a row. They must view it for what it is, then move forward, having learned from it.

As followers of Jesus, we desire to obey God and keep becoming more like Him. The more we know Him, trust Him, and rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, the more we resist temptation and avoid giving in to sin. 

Paul writes in Galatians 5:16 (NLT), “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

Unfortunately, in this fallen world, we know that we do give in to our fleshly desires, slip up, and sin. In other words, we lose and go 0-1. So how do we view our “loss”?

On one hand, we tell ourselves it’s just one loss. We put ourselves in the right position to win, but we didn’t execute like we needed to. We don’t have to beat ourselves up and remain in shame, but we still need to take our mistake seriously. We shouldn’t laugh it off or make light of it either.

James 4:9 (AMP) says, “Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom.”

So when we sin, we can admit we blew it, expect to do better moving forward, and remain confident that it's one loss, not who we truly are. We grieve and confess, and in Christ, we receive forgiveness. 

1 John 1:9 (AMP) tells us, “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].”

Like NFL teams, we must be willing to examine what went wrong, embrace the changes needed, and admit we can’t keep living like that if we want to experience a victorious life. We can’t settle for a “losing season” or go back to losing ways from the past. We must keep taking positive steps forward toward the Lord after our “Week 1 loss.”

We don’t have to think, "Here we go again - we just can’t win, and it is what it is." We don’t want sin to become a pattern or a habit. Thankfully, Christ’s power helps us with this, and as we know Him and follow Him, losing is no longer the norm.

1 John 3:4-6 (AMP) tells us, “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness [ignoring God’s law by action or neglect or by tolerating wrongdoing—being unrestrained by His commands and His will].

"You know that He appeared [in visible form as a man] in order to take away sins; and in Him there is [absolutely] no sin [for He has neither the sin nature nor has He committed sin or acts worthy of blame].

"No one who abides in Him [who remains united in fellowship with Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or known Him.”

Just like every loss matters in the NFL, so does every sin, and it can have consequences later on, but one loss doesn’t have to mean two losses or three losses in a row. We must view each sin for what it is, thank Him for His grace and mercy in Christ that cover us, and move forward with repentance, having learned from it.

Today, as teams take their Week 1 loss seriously and prepare to avoid a losing streak, let's take our sin seriously as we abide in Him and experience victory.

I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I’m blown away by Your grace and mercy. Help me to take my sin seriously, grieve it properly, and confess it. Please remove any habitual sin and convict me of anything I’ve done that I need to repent of. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.