Sports Washing

Series: Always Relevant, God Is

2 Timothy 4:3 MSG

John 14:26 ESV

Stop sports washing the issue!

If I’ve learned one thing about life, it’s that there are good times and bad times. When I was young I didn’t want to suffer and go through difficult trials. 

I didn’t understand that those trials would make me stronger. 

2 Timothy 4:3 tells us, “You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant.”

I tend to be a pretty extreme optimist so I’ve always looked for the good. 

I did come to understand and I learned the hard way that when we put God in charge, the Spirit will guide and guard us in good and bad times. 

Putting God in charge and keeping God in charge was the problem. At first I would give my problem to God, then I would take it back. I don’t think I did that intentionally. As a child I was taught to be responsible so in a sense, dealing with a problem was the natural thing to do. 

For me, the first step in understanding was knowing what I needed to be responsible for and knowing what I need to turn over to God.

I have a silly example. 

Let’s say when I was a teenager I needed to clean my room. It was messy and it was inevitable that my parents would remind me I needed to straighten and clean my space. 

I tend to pray when I have a problem so let’s say I did not have the motivation to clean and straighten my space. 

So, I ask God to help me to get motivated to clean my room. 

That is actually an acceptable prayer. 

When we are dreading a task we can ask God to help us to be motivated to complete the task. However, we need to listen and connect to the power source (God). 

We have to be open to listening and letting God IN to help us. As much as I would have loved it when I was 15 years old, elves (or Angels) were not going to come clean my room in the middle of the night. 

What God can do, and has done in my life is change my attitude about doing something I don’t really want to do. 

The Spirit can and will help us. 

John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.”

The Spirit is ready and willing to teach us to be mature and mindful of doing what we need to do. In this case, I knew the rules my parents had about being responsible. They didn’t expect me to line up and clean all of my stuffed animals every day. They did have an expectation that I maintain some order and straighten, clean, vacuum, and dust when it was needed. I was reminded that I need to be responsible for my space. 

Even as a teenager I might have complained and asked God to send help, but I eventually adjusted my attitude and cleaned my room. 

As an adult when I was faced with doing something I did not look forward to doing, I knew I could ask God to help me. 

I’ve never been the kind of person who likes funerals, but as a Pastor’s Wife there were times when I needed to be there to support those who’d lost a loved one. 

The most difficult funerals were for the young who had died in an accident or by illness. I did not like going to their funeral but God knew I needed to be there. When I was 30 years old I knew I wanted to pray for the family but I didn’t know what role prayer would have in my life. As I matured in age and matured in the faith I came to realize that prayer was a calling I have been given. 

It’s a gift. 

I was given compassion for those who are hurting. 

At one point in my life I read everything I could get my hands on about listening prayer. I practiced listening. Gradually I came to know when God speak. 

After years of practicing listening prayer, I know when God is going to speak. I can almost hear the Spirit of God coming. 

That didn’t happen overnight. 

In the beginning I felt like God would touch me in a specific way and I would stop what I was doing so I could be aware of the movement of God. 

In the beginning I needed silence so I could hear. 

In the beginning I needed to close my eyes to the visual world. 

Now I don’t have to stop. I don’t need silence. I don’t have to close my eyes. It took years for me to get to that point. Getting to the point where I can know when God has something to tell me came as I sought God in bad times and good times. I watched and waited for God to teach me. 

The Spirit became my guide, my dear friend and trusted loving companion. Whatever gift or gifts you have been given, when you ask the Spirit to guide you, it WILL happen.

Spiritual Practice: Ask

Ask God to show you your gifts and teach you how to use them. 

In God, Deborah

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