Faithbase

Well, hey, Faith Base, hope you're having an awesome Friday. Wanted to take a minute, hold with me now, wanted to take a minute and share with you a little something about basketball. So our son, he's a senior in high school, and this week there is a basketball tournament. So this week has been, and this weekend will be nothing but basketball. The last two games, which they won, awesome, decided by one point each, last second buzzer beater opportunities. And so with basketball on my brain and my schedule, I thought I would take a moment and see if there might be some parallels between basketball and our spiritual journey. I know you think I've lost my mind, but hold with me, we'll see if there's some rational thought. You know, in basketball, we witness players facing challenges and setbacks and obstacles, and it's during these moments that their character and their discipline is revealed. Well, the same is true in our lives and our spiritual lives as well. We encounter difficulties that test our faith and our resilience and our determination, and that's when our spiritual character is revealed. Just like those players have to push through the adversity, we too have to find strength to overcome our challenges. Now, I think it's important to remember, success is not and should not solely be defined by wins and losses, whether it's a game or we're talking about life. It's more about growth and perseverance and the lessons learned along the way. I think that's the most important thing to keep in mind as we think about our spiritual journey. It's not about perfection or even avoiding failure. It's about learning and growing and becoming more like Christ every single day. Maybe we can find some encouragement in the words of Philippians chapter four and verse 13, a place where Paul says, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Just as those basketball players rely on their physical abilities and their mental fortitude during a game, I think we can draw from our relationship with Christ in much the same way. We can lean on him and we can surrender to him our fears and our doubts and our limitations. We can find that and discover that his power enables us to face any challenge we might come across in life, whether we're talking about on the court or anywhere else. So remember, or at least that's my encouragement. Remember that basketball, like life, is a journey that's filled with highs and lows. It teaches us the importance of teamwork and discipline and perseverance. But most importantly, it reminds us that we're never alone in the struggle. God is always with us, ready to strengthen us, ready to guide us, ready to uplift us. And so whether you find yourself on the court or in the stands, let basketball serve as a reminder, a metaphor, if you will, of the incredible potential that we have in Christ. May we approach both the game and our spiritual lives with passion and integrity and a deep reliance upon the strength that we find in Jesus. And pushing forward and trusting in the Lord and embracing the joy that comes from the journey. I don't know. Maybe you hung with me through this all. Maybe there's some rational thought. Maybe there's some encouragement there for you. I do know that there is some great truth there. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Be great. Be blessed.