Get Your Head in the Game

I know why God brought sports into my life; He was preparing me. All through High School I played sports, I love playing sports. My favorite part of playing is being a part of a team. I love the amazing unity that takes place on a basketball court when you're down by 4 in the fourth quarter, when everyone digs down a little further and gives a little more in order to win the game together. When you're in the fourth quarter it's hard to remember what the first three quarters were like; all you can see is the end. However, your head can easily be taken out of the game when the opposing Coach calls a last minute time out. Everything stops, your momentum, your focus and your adrenaline. In the few moments of the timeout you have time to think; you may start to think about how far you have to go to win, you may start to think, "If only I'd played better the first quarter we wouldn't be behind by four." You may even start to feel your body and realize how tired you are. This was the plan of the opposing Coach, to get you out of the game, even if it's only for 30 seconds; if you can lose focus for that short of time the game and the Victory can surly be theirs. I feel as though sometimes I'm in the timeout of the fourth quarter. That I'm not "in the game" in the survival mode of living in the hospital; the adrenaline of living minute to minute not knowing what's going to happen next has worn off. I feel like I've been looking around and thinking how far we have to go, wondering how we can make it to the end of the "game." Thinking how hard it's going to be to get to Ohio, how hard it's going to be to find out news of what's wrong with Noel, or the most dreaded news that there's nothing they can do for her. I feel like I've had time to realize how tired I am; I've been playing this game with all I've got for years. I'm worn out. I just want to sit on the bench and have someone else go in for me. Today however God reminded me that I'm not a mediocre athlete I'm a great athlete, even if my focus is lost for a moment, a great athlete knows that the game is not over until the timer buzzes. In a game it's the opposing coach who wants to take the victory from you; in life it's the devil. When you're at a time in your life and you feel like giving up satan's the one who wants you to lose; he wants you to stop, lose focus and momentum, to believe that you can't go on anymore. But God's the one who wants us to keep our focus, to keep going, to win. This morning I heard it this way. "It's not over until God says it's over." I needed to be reminded of that; that a 30 second time out doesn't have to lose the whole game. A great athlete also realizes they can't win the game without the help and support of their teammates. They need each other to make it through to win the game, no game is every won by a single person on the court it's always because the work of team. I feel renewed, refreshed, energized; ready to get back in the game; Blessed by the amazing teammates God has given me and ready to give my all through this quarter until the game is won!