I do not play sports of any kind. Although my laziness does contribute to my incompetence, my fear of getting hit by the balls (i.e. basketball, baseball, soccer ball, tennis ball, racquet ball and dodgeball) keeps me staying in the sidelines. And not in the floor seats either; I would be in the nosebleed section where I was certain that no wayward ball had any access to my pretty face.
But life is funny, isn't it?
Because I usually find myself in the front row, with no protection, watching the game.
Correction: watching the ball.
My eyes follow the ball and my limbs are in the stage of flight in case the ball decides to plummet in my direction.
I tend to forget that the ball doesn't have a mind of its own and it isn't plotting to smack me across the cheek at full speed.
No, not at all... unless...
No! The ball is an instrument in the hands of the ball player and most of the times, if not 99.9% of the time, the ball player is competent enough to make sure that the ball doesn't go out of bounds and bludgeon someone to death.
I should have confidence in the players to keep the ball within bounds but I don't.
I watch the ball and I can't enjoy the game.
And sadly, the same can be said of my life.
I harp on the bad and miss out on the good.
I miss out on God's goodness because I'm looking at the circumstances.
Matthew 8:23-27 and Matthew 14:22-33 reveal the disciples losing their faith when they're caught in terrifying storms and Jesus shows us the correct responses when life throws us curve balls.
He rested in the boat and He walked on water.
He didn't freak out with His disciples.
He didn't abandon ship.
He wasn't frantically looking for plan B when plan A looked like a failure.
Jesus rested and Jesus walked, both actions opposite of what we would do when caught in a storm.
And you know why He was able to do that?
Because He knew that God was in the midst of the storms.
We have to remind ourselves that storms, horrible circumstances, bad breaks and bad habits will never separate you from God.
Storms can surround you, overwhelm you and try to drown you but God has His hand on you the entire time and will never let you go.
Trouble can come but Jesus is with you.
Temptation can be overpowering but Jesus is reaching out for you to set you free.
Don't look at the chaos in the background when peace and rest can be found in the foreground, in Jesus.
Shift your perspective; it's better that way.
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