This life is hard, and in a minute's notice, the world in which we were geared up and ready for can change.
From one day to the next, this season can look different; from one game to the next, a player can get a season-ending injury, a coach passes away, or a diagnosis of cancer. Nothing prepares you for the rollercoaster of this job. Season after season, not one is the same. Colors and mascots can change with an unexpected move, promotions can be denied, and jobs can be replaced.
During these moments, we need to ensure our eyes and focus are not of this world. We can sit and complain and be discouraged or focus on the truth.
Choosing to focus on God is what gets us through those times that seem unfair, confusing, and unexplainable. We aren't promised an easy life, superstar players, and state championship rings our whole career!
We will encounter difficult times we weren't expecting at the time that seems like it couldn't get any worse.
When this life seems like it's flipped upside down and we don't know which way is up, we need to remember:
- We need Him every day.
- We need Him to be our comfort when the boat seems ready to tip.
- We need Him to be our lifeline when we can't seem to catch our breath.
- We need to remember who has always been faithful in every season.
When this life seems unexplainable or difficult to understand, we need to remember:
- We can't do this life alone. We were made for relationships with people and God.
- We were made to lean on Him through desperation and trials.
- His plan is better than what we can see in those hard moments
- We have to trust He is faithful and He sees the big picture.
In these seasons and situations that are unexpected, we need to remember the following:
- We have to be prayerful! He knows what we need and how we feel, but He wants us to come to Him in difficult times.
- He wants to know we are relying on Him when the world seems to be falling apart.
- He wants us to know He hears our desperate cries.
- He wants us to know He is in control and knows exactly what we need.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
When it seems hard to be positive and see the light in a difficult situation, we need to remember:
- We need to thank Him for the blessings He gives us!
- In the hard, there ARE rainbows and glimmers of hope that only come from Him.
- He is there and is our ultimate hope and provision.
- God hasn't changed, only our circumstances. Knowing that He is who He has always provided comfort during times of confusion.
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
It is he who made us, and we are his;[a]
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100:1-5 ESV
When times seem tough, and we can't quite understand why we are here, we need to remember:
- We have to be present-minded! We are here for such a time as this.
- Why? Sometimes, it seems unclear at the moment, and sometimes, it is frustrating, but He knows why He has us exactly where we are.
- The people around us are watching how we respond to difficult situations.
- This moment of difficulty could be a moment of salvation for someone else. Our reaction can be a light for someone else (our athletes, our kids, our staff, and our sports families...)
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 ESV
We have to know this life is not meant to be easy; it isn't meant to be full of money or state championships, and it is not about us or our conveniences.
These moments are about becoming more like Jesus and being Jesus to the people around us, even in the hard. This job is to humble us and make us rely on God because we can't do it alone. It is easy to rely on God when we are winning, have the best record, and get promotion after promotion. But do you rely on Him in the hard, difficult times?
When people try to do it alone, they will fail. It could be at their job, at their school, in their relationships, or at their homes. It is so vital that we cling to Jesus in the easier days when things are going great so that in the difficult times, we can hold tight to the One who guides us through.
Sometimes in this life, things are not okay, and that is okay. We have hope and truth that HE will make sure we are okay! We can rest in the truth that He is faithful in every season.