Has your coach ever told you to wait for a specific moment to make a play? Being patient and not reacting until that opportunity arrives is difficult. It takes a lot of restraint. But your coach asks you to do this because he or she has the big picture in mind. Your coach wants you and your teammates to win!
In the Christian life, God asks us to be patient and to endure hard things now because eventually we are going to get to share in Jesus’s glory. One day, the whole world is going to be made new! If we keep in mind the glory that’s coming, we can go through hard things with hope. This is the journey Embet is on, and it’s what the apostle Paul experienced, too.
I am sure what we are suffering now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us. Romans 8:18 (CEV)
The Teammates
Embet
Sport: Gaming
In gaming, I don’t always react well. I try to trust the Holy Spirit to help me recognize when I start going the wrong way and to help me choose a better response. I’ve had some hard times in life outside of my sport, and this verse in Romans reminds me that what I go through now isn’t the end of the story. God’s good plans are going to be so much better than winning or having an easy life now. When something doesn’t go the way I want, I try to keep that perspective instead of using bad language or reacting in anger. My feelings in the moment can still get the better of me, but I know Jesus’s love for me will never change.
Paul, the Apostle
Paul is writing to Christians in ancient Rome while Emperor Nero persecuted and put them to death for their beliefs. But instead of reacting in anger or fear, these Christians went through hard things with hope. In his letter, Paul tells them they don’t have to be afraid because the Holy Spirit lives in those who follow Jesus. God is with them, and he promises that even if they must leave their homes, be put in jail, or worse, their story will end in glory. God wins in the end, and one day we will live with him in a perfect world!
The Connection
The Holy Spirit guides our actions, reactions, and words, but sometimes we’re still going to mess up. But Embet knows that one day, we won’t struggle against our anger, fear, and pride, because one day we’ll be made perfect. One day, we’ll live with Jesus in the world he restores.
Paul tells us this is the reason we can face hard things. Jesus died for us, the Holy Spirit lives in us, and the Father will bring us home. Glory is coming! So when we lose a game, or another player cheats, or someone else gets the credit we deserve, we can respond with patience. In the end, all will be made right.
For the Players
Reflect: How does knowing God’s big picture help you react well in hard situations?
Share: Who on your team struggles with reacting poorly to hard situations? Encourage them with this verse!
Take a moment to pray:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of hope,
For the good work that you are doing in my life
As you make me more like Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)
When I’m having a bad day
Or feeling frustrated at my coach,
When I lose a competition
Or feel overwhelmed and upset,
Give me the grace to respond
With kindness, gentleness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)
Fill me with your peace;
Transform me with your love;
This day and every day after,
Until the day you make everything right
And wipe away all pain and suffering. (Revelation 21:3–5)
Amen.
Press in! Take a moment to read: Romans 5:3–5
Want more on this topic? Check out Jeremiah 29:11 – When You Don’t Get What You Want
For Coaches and Parents
Read aloud with your team or athlete!
Embet struggles with bad language and reacting in anger when things don’t go well. We can understand why—sports can frustrate us! But Paul writes about how Christians are meant to react differently to frustrating situations. We are to have patience, use kind language, and give all our anger and fear to God. This is hard. And God has grace for us when we don’t get it right.
A question for the team/athlete:
What makes you frustrated when you’re playing your sport, and how do you naturally respond?
(Allow a few responses from the team/athlete, then read the follow-up message.)
Follow-up:
Acknowledging what makes us angry and gives us trouble is the first step to letting it go. Our suffering is real! But it’s not more real than the hope we have in Jesus’s promise to return and fix this broken world. Take courage. When you face hard things, remember the glory that is coming. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit is with you today.
