The Lows are Short-Lived
"Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning." - Psalm 30:5b
Every athlete goes through a time when it’s just not happening for them. To a basketball player, it could be that “her shot just isn’t falling”. To a discus thrower, it could look like “his release is off”. No matter the sport, if you play it for any length of time, you will have low times, or low seasons.
King David had them too, did you know that? God called David a man “after His Own heart”. As God was with him, he defeated Goliath, had victories over the Philistines, and was the first great human king over Israel. But there were times when David didn’t feel God’s presence, when it just wasn’t happening for him.
Psalms 22 starts, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” It’s the same heart cry of Jesus as he hung on the cross. Even David, the chosen one of God, wasn’t feeling God. As Christians, we all go through it at some point. A prayer seems to go nowhere, or we get nothing out of a quiet time. Our Spirit just feels off, and we feel alone.
But if you keep reading Psalms 22, David remembers that God is always there, and will deliver him. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. As athletes, the shot will start falling again, or the release will improve. As Christians, God is still there, and the low season will be short-lived, especially compared to eternity with Him.
- How have you struggled in the past as an athletes? As a Christian?
- What can you do to keep going, even through the low seasons?
- How can you encourage others who may be struggling?
Psalm 22; Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17