Being a coach, being an athlete, and being the parent of an athlete (or a coach), can be TOUGH. The wins are great, and the losses hurt.
In my house, the quality of the weekend is often determined, right or wrong, by how well our teams play.
People say basketball is a game of runs. That saying can go for any sport, and it can be said for life. When you are on a good run, life is great and you feel really good about yourself. When you are on a bad run, life can be tough and rough. When we are facing challenges, feeling down, and when things aren't going our way, it can be easy to lose sight of hope.
But the author of Hebrews reminds us that our hope isn't based on what's happening around us or how we're feeling. Our hope is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
"We have peace with God because we believe in Jesus Christ. Through him, we have also gained access to the amazing grace of God. We stand firm in this grace and rejoice in the hope of sharing in God's glory." (Hebrews 5:1-2)
Legendary basketball coach John Wooden said, "Success is peace of mind, a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming." When we have peace, we have self-satisfaction and the calm and assurance that comes with that self-satisfaction.
God's grace is usually defined as undeserved favor. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given. We count on God's grace and the bridge he built in our relationship with him.
Hope is knowing that something good is going to happen to you and through you.
Life won't ever be perfect, and no one goes undefeated forever. But when we believe in Jesus Christ and that He died for us, we know that God loves us, and that God will always take care of us. It might not be at the time and in the way we want it, but we can have peace knowing that no matter what is going on in our lives, God is with us, God will take care of us, and we can have hope knowing that all things will work together for good!
PRAYER
Dear Jesus, thank you for giving us hope. Help us to remember that our hope is in you, not in ourselves or in the world around us. Give us the strength to hold on to hope when things are tough. Thank you for your love and grace. Amen.
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