Keep Shooting for the Goal

I've been working out in the backyard today. It's such a beautiful sunshiny day. But while I take a break I'm feeling inspired to write again. It always amazes me how when God is teaching us a particular lesson or encouraging us in some way, He finds a way to repeat Himself so that we keep hearing the same thing. Until we finally say "Oh, I get it! This is the same thing you told me yesterday. How exciting to know you're trying to teach me something God!" He is so patient and gracious to give us time to hear Him.

A couple of years ago I read that when we feel ready to give up, when we've done everything we can, when there's nothing left to try. . . do one more thing.

That has really stuck with me. On Friday and Saturday, my son had his hockey play off games and I had a job fair to go to on Saturday morning. On Friday evening, as I sat looking into the setting sun, watching my son out there working so hard, playing with all his heart along with the rest of the team, I started praying that he would make a goal. He has made (I think) only one goal this season so far and I just really hoped he could feel the excitement of contributing to a win. I prayed that God would give him the ability to play with his whole heart and give him the opportunity to make a goal. Then I said to God "Lord, I know that I have no control over what happens on that rink. I'll just give it to you and let go. . ., but could you help my son make a goal? That would be so wonderful." Within less than a minute my son had made a goal.
Wow! What joy! I raised my fists in the air and shouted at the top of my lungs! Wow!

Thank you God. Thank you. Wow, Lord. . .you heard me. . .Ok. . . You heard me. . . Wow. . . Ok. . . Lord, if you could help my son make a goal then you can help me find a job. (I was feeling really nervous about the job fair the next morning and speaking to people about a job). So I prayed that just as God helped my son to shoot for the goal even through his fear, and make a goal, that He would help me to step through my fear and be able to present myself at the job fair and possibly get a job!

I guess I'm just getting tired of trying and trying, and praying and praying, and applying and applying. But Lord, maybe just one more. And then, one more after that.

At the first game on Saturday morning, as I watched my son's team play I started noticing how many times the boys shot for the goal before anyone actually made a goal. It must be a hundred or more times during each game. No one makes a goal everytime they try. No one finds a job everytime they try.

So, as I stood in line to meet with people from the various schools, I thought to myself, "I'm shooting toward the goal. I may make it and I may not, but I'll keep on. I have a few hundred tries left to go."

This morning in Sunday School, we talked about how to us it may feel as though we're failing, but we may be right where God wants us to be. We talked about missionaries who spend their lives telling people about Christ and at the end, only have one convert. (that they know of).

This life is a process. We will never arrive until we see Jesus face to face.

You know, it occurrs to me, that maybe it's the preparation and learning all God has for us to learn before we reach our goal that is the most important after all.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13