Thursday, February 01, 2007

Thoughts for a Super Bowl Weekend
Some of the finest specimens of mental and physical toughness in America are those men who play intercollegiate or professional football. To see them thud and crunch into one another with breakneck speed and then jump up for the next play is a wonder to watch. Occasionally, however, one of these "warriors" takes a hard hit that leaves him stunned and lying limp on the field. Even those who are in the best physical shape and who wear the finest equipment are not immune from some of the brutal hits of the game!

When I see hard hits on the football field, I am reminded of the hard hits of life that come to us all. There is no way to escape them if you are in the game. On some plays you won’t even be touched. On others you’ll take a solid but easier hit. Yet there are times you will be hit terribly hard if you are a part of the play! There are some times when an opponent takes a cheap shot that the referee may not see or call! Sometimes the hard hits and cheap shots even come from those on our own team!

The hard hits of life are inevitable for those who play the game for Christ. They are also necessary and beneficial to the one who understands the Heavenly Coach’s process! Hebrews 12:11 puts it beautifully … "no discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful, later on however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." The old adage "no pain, no gain" is as true as ever! The hard hits of life leave us hurt, confused, and weak. The time it takes to come back from those hits depends on our level of maturity. With the wisdom of Christ and the understanding of His greater purpose in our lives, we discover by faith that hurts can be healed, the confusion can turn to wisdom, and the weakness can become strength!

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