Do you like sports?
I do… And I don’t. I enjoy watching them and cheering for them, especially the Kansas State University Wildcats! (GO STATE!)
But playing sports? Uh, no thanks. Please sign me up to be the dihydrogen monoxide manager. <Water girl.>
I have never enjoyed playing any sport other than Ultimate Frisbee for the following reasons:
1. I am not athletic.
2. I am clumsy.
3. Any flying, round object like a ball somehow always finds its way to my face. I am not kidding. I once split my lip playing ping-pong.
4. There is so much pressure not to fail.
I remember dealing with these troubles almost every day in freshman gym class. We would play Bombardment (dodge ball) and due to my passive strategy of “Stay towards the back and you won’t get hit,” I almost always ended up as the last player still “in” on our team. Eleven teenagers would be cheering me on from the sidelines, placing all their dodge ball hopes and dreams, thinking I was going to miraculously pull the team back to victory.
Yeah, that NEVER happened. I would throw the ball as hard as I could at the other team, but it would usually slip or someone would catch it. After a couple of feeble attempts, I would catch the ball– with my face–and I finally be “out.” As I did the walk-of-relief/shame to the sideline, I always prayed there wasn’t time for another round.
Same story in football. Who wants to be quarterback and run the ball? Ha, not this girl. Baseball: Is there anything farther than the outfield? Volleyball: Um, I think I left my gym locker open– be back in 45 minutes.
You get my drift.
I always tried to avoid sports because I was so terrible at it. I didn’t want to mess up. I didn’t want to let others down. I didn’t want to be embarrassed.
I didn’t want to fumble.
But there was one thing I had forgotten: Sometimes when we fumble, it is simply a lesson to grip it harder next time.
And the same thing goes for our faith.
As we follow Christ, there are going to be moments when we trip. Fall. Fumble. Instead of giving up or hiding in the figurative locker room, we should embrace the idea that is it ok to fumble on occasion. Let it be motivation that perhaps we should hold on tighter to our faith.
When we fumble our faith, God has the power to blow the time out whistle, let us regroup and try again.
When we fumble our faith, He doesn’t keep score.
When we fumble our faith, we might have to face some negative yard penalties, but God’s grace meets us on the way to the end zone.
When we fumble our faith, God forgives and encourages us to get back in the game.
When we fumble our faith, we can grip it even tighter for the next play.
When we fumble our faith, God is right there, holding onto us tightly.
In what areas of your life do you feel like fumble your faith the most? Have you had a faith-fumbling experience that taught you a major life lesson? I would love to hear all about it– share in the comments.
Now if you will excuse me… I need to grab my gear, check the playbook and get back to the game.
Holding onto Faith,
“I’ve put my life in your hands. You won’t drop me, you’ll never let me down.” ~Psalm 31:5 MSG
Linking up today with Jen over at Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood, Hazel via Tell Me a Story and Jennifer Dukes Lee over at #TellHisStory. Be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
