Game Over?

When I was a kid, I often dreamed of playing major league baseball. I pictured myself hitting a grand slam in the ninth inning of the World Series, with the based loaded and two outs. All I needed to do was hit a home run to win the game!

I’d throw the ball up and swing with all my might. Strike one. Again. Strike two. One more time … pop up.

Since it was just my imagination, the “game” never ended until I “hit” a grand slam!

Sometimes, in real life, you don’t get a “do over.”

In those moments you feel powerless and wonder why God didn’t change the outcome. Paul and his missionary team had several of those experiences. He wrote,

“We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

Have you ever been crushed and overwhelmed beyond your ability to endure?

The lesson Paul shared from that experience is one we need to grasp. We have limited power and ability. Our mental, emotional, and physical strength can only carry us to a point. Yet, everything within us screams:

You can do it!

While you have the ability to do many things, there is a time to stop relying on yourself and learn to rely on God.

Keep dreaming. Keep doing your best. And, most importantly, learn to rely on God!

The game is not over. God is always with you.