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Read
2 Cor. 11:24-28
2 Cor. 4:1,7-11
Philippians 3:12-14
2 Cor. 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewedday by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Reflect
I know you may be feeling frustrated, sad, angry, lost, or a multitude of things right now because being cut from a team is never any fun. It’s not something we plan for and we are always left wondering, WHY???? It feels horrible to be “unwanted” or to feel like you aren’t good enough, but I want to encourage you with this study from when the apostle Paul faced adversity in his life. Some of you might know that Paul is seen by many as the greatest missionary who ever lived. God used him mightily in the spread of the Gospel to the non-Jewish nations in the days of the early church.
Now, Paul experienced a lot of opposition from many people around him after he was called by God to go throughout Europe preaching the good news. And, as evidenced by what he had to say in some of his letters to the churches in his day, he appeared to suffer some crushing "defeats" (2 Cor. 12:8-10) at the hands of people who wanted him to give up. These include the numerous times he was imprisoned and beaten for publicly proclaiming the Good News of what Jesus had done for us. But, if we look closely at what Paul has to say about these episodes in his life -- we get a sense that he welcomed adversity as an opportunity not to lose heart. Paul's secret was summarized in this statement, found in the Bible: "I can do everything through Him that gives me strength".
If it has been a tough couple of days, weeks, or months, remember how the apostle Paul was able to get through the situation. Life will not get any easier. Of course, there will be other occasions in your life, maybe outside hockey, where you will feel defeated and tempted to not "get up off the canvas" and continue on. Thankfully, God promises us in His word that He will supply us with the means and the ability to soldier on when we've lost the strength to do it ourselves.
React
- Where do you turn when you face tough times? How do you handle these tough times? Have you talked to God about what your feeling? Or, do you keep everything bottled up inside?
- It may be really hard, but think of one good thing that has come from not making the team. Maybe you can spend more time with your family. Maybe you are able to do something you really love that you didn’t have time for.
- Put things in perspective. Do you have a home to live in? A bed to sleep on? Food to eat? Are you healthy and able to play hockey at all? – Thank God for all the good things in your life that others may not have. Focusing on the positives help put our tough times in perspective.
