Saul was filled with hatred – in Acts 9:

Saul was filled with hatred – in Acts 9:21 he caused “havoc” in Jerusalem – RSV 26:11 says he persecuted in a “raging fury”.
However, he was a man of “great learning” Acts 26:24. A Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee.
On the way to Damascus – with a passion for God – a clear vision – a life-consuming zeal – he thought he was doing the will of God this new sect of Christians were an abomination before God.

Then came the knockdown.

We are serving a God who can build and tear down. Saul is traveling the road all built up. God tore him down. Saul suddenly found himself on the ground. He had gone to arrest Christians and Christ arrested him.

Sometimes the only way God can make us see is to knock us down and blind us for a while.
The setback must be viewed as an inevitable process of the success. If there is no setback then you’re probably not really moving forward with anything.

Listen to what a trapeze artist says about the knockdown:
“Once you know that the net below will catch you, you stop worrying about falling. You actually learn to fall successfully! What that means is, you can concentrate on catching the trapeze swinging toward you, and not on falling, because repeated falls in the past have convinced you that the net is strong and reliable when you do fall … The result of falling and being caught by the net is a mysterious confidence and daring on the trapeze. You fall less. Each fall makes you able to risk more.”
The knockdowns builds a resilience to go keep going. It also releases new ideas.
Kellogs cornflakes resulted when boiled wheat was left in a baking pan overnight by mistake.
It has been said that in science, mistakes always precede the truth.
Don’t shy away from the knockdown, don’t take the setback too personally, failing does not make you a failure.

The knockdown can be the best thing that ever happened to you.