3On the floor in the shower of my high school locker room I sat on the floor and began to become filled with the one thing that I could not afford to have:  FEAR.

I am not sure exactly what I was afraid of……but the feeling had consumed me to the core.  Back then, not many people knew what a torn ACL and torn meniscus even meant–so I was the kid who was limping in practice and in games trying to finish the season for my hero who was my coach–my dad.  And because I did not understand the severity of my injury, the only thing I knew was my knee hurt so bad that I was not sure I could finish the playoff game……I simply knew that I would never measure up….that I was a failure….that I should have been ashamed of myself and my colossal failure as a football player, a man, and as a son.

The enemy will always appear and do his best work when we are about to do something important.  It is hard to fathom, but his greatest work is done in trying to prevent us from trying to do something that might bring us joy or exhileration or success.

I thank God for our wrestling coach at that time……he walked into the locker room and saw me…..and offered me something I had not truly done before anything important:  PRAYER.

In my desperate state I accepted and we walked outside.

He took me in his arms and began to cry out to the Lord….and, to be honest, I do not know exactly what words proceeded to come from his mouth—but I will NEVER FORGET what happened in that moment:

  • Fear, Shame, and Failure all left me instantaneously
  • A feeling of love came over me that I will not ever be able to describe….and with it came hope and anticipation
  • I was ready to play a football game

I had always testified before that moment that “God did not care about who won football games”.  But since that moment I have learned something different and that is:  never start ANY sentence with GOD DOES NOT CARE….

GOD CARES.  He cares about you and He cares about your hopes and dreams.  He cares about your life and He cares about your day.  He cares about the big things….and He cares about the little things.

 

He cares.

If you have ever had a dream or an aspiration or a hope….He cares about it.  And He wants to walk with you as you dream big and walk through this life with Him.

 

As you walk through your day and deal with what you deal with…..remember that He came down.  He came down here to walk this path—not as a King—but as a nobody.  And He was treated as such.  He did that so that when you look to the sky and proclaim “why?” you can be doing it to a God who has walked in your shoes.

 

On this day–I encourage you–to ask Him into your world.  Invite Him to come and be with you as you walk and face what we all face….the fear of failure.

 

I can testify that not only did He come 2000 years ago and die on a cross…..He came 30 years ago and walked out to a football field with me……and I walked that day and for four games—with HOPE and LOVE and COURAGE and FEARLESSNESS.  God put LIFE on me and in me.  And I love Him with all that I am.

 

In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

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Coach J