I just finished watching Duke University’s Mens Basketball team go into the record books. They played Wake Forest University on TV. That’s not the record. They turned the ball over a whole lot due to poor play and good defense by Wake. That’s not the record. They missed lay ups and easy shots. That’s not the record. They played almost all of their players. That’s close…but that’s not the record. They had all 5 starters foul out of the game with over 1 minute left. THAT’S THE RECORD!!! The best 5 players on the # 2 ranked team in the country played soooo bad that the officials felt that they could no longer play in the game. No amount of coaching, or playing or yelling at the officials was going to change the outcome. It was a game for the record books and a nightmare for the Duke team.
HOWEVER…That’s not what got my attention, though. (Sure, I am a huge Duke basketball fan and I felt that we were unfairly picked on by the men in striped shirts) it was the look on the coach’s face towards the end of the game. The look told it all. As the game wound down, Duke’s coach could only watch in disbelief. He realized that his players could play so far above their heads and ability that their nose would bleed for a week to 10 days, and it still wouldn’t help his team win. Wake Forest was on, Duke’s team was off and the Officials were in control. The coach knew that no matter what he told his players. The Officials were the “player” they couldn’t play against. The coach’s only recourse was to encourage his players, remain calm, congratulate the other team, look forward to the day being over, and begin to develop a plan to teach his players for the next time his 5 players are up against a 6 man team.
So what does that have to do with anything. Only this…
Some days it does not matter how hard you try…there are just somethings out of your control. And you just have to sit there and realize that at the end of the day God still loves you and really does have a wonderful plan for your life. Not everyday has you winning national championships, or discovering the cure to premature male balding, or making your spouse happy beyond belief. SO…at those times, we must sit still and wait for the tough times to pass. At the very least, realize that in the darkness of the night, God will provide a Son to bring light and hope in the morning.
The writer of the book of James puts it this way in the first chapter:
2My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.
Duke will win more games. Wake will win more games. We will have good days and we will have bad days. And in the midst of the good and the bad…we must learn to endure. Surround yourself with God’s people, spend time every morning with God in prayer, serve other’s in God’s name.
peace
mark
