The Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback situation with Tony Romo and Dak Prescott has been extremely fascinating to me. Romo has been very important to the Cowboys for many years, but an injury during preseason opened up the door for a rookie quarterback to take his job.

Despite the team being 8-1, this hasn’t been an easy scenario for either QB, their teammates, coaches, or ownership. Real emotions, relationships, and tough decisions have all been involved.

Romo revealed his feelings and what he’s been going through this season in a transparent and thoughtful press conference on Tuesday, which I think most people respected. These are a few of the quotes that stood out to me:

“Getting hurt when you feel like you have the best team you’ve ever had was a soul-crushing moment for me…

“…But then here you are sidelined without any real ability to help your teammates win on the field. That’s when you’re forced to come face to face with what’s happened. Seasons are fleeting. Games become more precious. Chances for success diminish.

“Your potential successor has arrived, injured two years in a row and now in the mid-30s, the press is whispering, everyone has doubts, you’ve spent your career working to get here. Now we have to start all over. You almost feel like an outsider.

“Coaches are sympathetic, but they still have to coach and you’re not there. It’s a dark place. Probably the darkest it’s ever been. You’re sad and down and out and you ask yourself why did this have to happen. It’s at this moment you find out who you really are and what you’re really about.”

Based on our own experiences, I am sure we can relate to a few of these honest and vulnerable thoughts. We’ve been sidelined, replaced, heard the whispers, felt the doubts, and forced to start over.

How many times in our jobs or relationships or with our health have we become “sad and down and out,” and asked ourselves, “Why did this have to happen?” Romo is right, “It’s in this moment you find out who you really are and what you’re really about.”

As followers of Jesus, we face many trials and tests that are used to grow our faith, prepare us for the future, and deepen our dependence on God. But during the process (like Romo), there can be a “soul-crushing moment” that causes us to be in a “dark place.”

That’s when we cry out to God with authenticity and rely on Him for comfort and strength to get us through the gloominess and heaviness. We have tremendous hope available in Him.

This type of thought process is captured in these convicting words found in Psalm 42:11 (NLT):

“Why am I discouraged?

Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!”

When we find ourselves in circumstances that don’t make sense and don’t go the way we planned, instead of becoming down and discouraged, let’s stop and hold onto the hope of our salvation and the power of our loving God.

Let’s fill our minds with praise as we remember who we really are and what we’re really all about. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I can relate to Tony Romo and the psalmist when I become sad and discouraged with my life. Please remind me how much You love me and desire to comfort me through these times. I trust that You are testing me to develop my character and my faith. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.