Today's Daily Bread
Bouncing Back
On January 18, 2012, the longest winning streak in US
intercollegiate varsity sports history—252 consecutive victories—ended
when Trinity College lost a squash match to Yale. The morning after the
team’s first loss in 14 years, Trinity’s coach, Paul Assaiante, received
an e-mail from a friend, a prominent professional football coach, who
wrote, “Well, now you get to bounce back.” Ten days later, that football
coach’s team lost in one of the most widely seen athletic events—the
NFL Super Bowl. All of us must cope with defeat.
The feeling of failure after an athletic loss mirrors our greater
self-condemnation following a spiritual collapse. How can we recover
from grieving God and others, along with disappointing ourselves? The
apostle John wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). God forgives us because Jesus Christ
paid the price for our sins (2:2).
God’s pardon sets us free to begin again and focus on today’s
opportunity rather than yesterday’s defeat. His faithful cleansing
allows us to start over with a pure heart. Today, God invites and
enables us to bounce back.
When you’ve trusted Jesus and walked His way,
When you’ve felt His hand lead you day by day,
But your steps now take you another way,
Start over. —Kroll
When you’ve felt His hand lead you day by day,
But your steps now take you another way,
Start over. —Kroll
Instead of living in the shadows of yesterday, walk in the light of today and the hope of tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment