. . . to those who are . . . called to be saints . . . —1 Corinthians 1:2

It is a wonderful thing to know that God sees not just who I am but all that I will be! There may be a long way to go still but nonetheless, God is not only aware of it He is making it happen!

Even though we may be aware that the potential lies within us, it is often in the difficulties of life that many of us turn away from accomplishing the goal or task set before us. Does a running back in the NFL act surprise by the hits, tackles and direct opposition he faces to enter the end zone? So why are we so shocked when faced with anything that comes our way? Come on, folks! Any player in the NFL is well aware that to get to the end zone, they are gonna take some hits…and some very powerful ones at that! We cannot be dissuaded from the goal! Day in and day out, this running back practices, preparing for the hard hits he will take in the game, can we do any less?

To be sure, there are times when the goal may seem fuzzy and out of focus, with each hit landing personally and directly not just on our bodies but our souls.  We cannot fail to learn from the previous week’s film or fail to study how to overcome and achieve greatness. Each hit should not only prove our resolve but improve our play. We have to learn from our mistakes and study our own playbook in order to become the best player on the team. Football, like any sport or job provides us with many life lessons that need to be applied if we are to succeed.

God has a vision for our lives, much like the coach of the team. until the players and coach agree on the vision, the team is simply running around, from play to play, fumbling the ball, throwing interceptions, haphazardly scoring, and even handing the ball to the opposing team. But when the team and coach are on the same page, the results can easily result in a championship.

God, the coach didn’t put any of us on the team for lack of belief that we could play, be an asset to the team, or lack of trust in handing us the ball. On the contrary! We are all on the team because God has full-trust and hope that when the ball comes our way, we are going to take the hits, enduring and advancing the ball each and every down, not only until we score but until we win. And winning is definitely what is going to happen! We win.

So don’t pout when God benches you, or takes you out for a play or two. Don’t get bent out of shape demanding more pay, holding out for a bigger contract trying to negotiate with God for a more prominent place on the team. Instead, try to see the game from the Coach’s perspective.  Remember Who the Coach is! Remember whose team you are on! Remember what you do on the field is as important as what you do off the field, and we have certainly seen that play out in our society lately! No one knows you better than your Coach, so et Him make the call. Listen to His teaching and trust His understanding of the game. He’s been doing this a lot longer than you and He’s got a vantage point you don’t have. Play your part well. Train hard. And when the time comes and the ball is handed to you, run until you get to the end zone and don’t stop until you get there!

For more on this topic, read My Utmost For His Highest