This
time, this absence of mine was due to tennis and my lack of complete trust in
God.
See,
I played tennis with my school for the first time last year. This year, I
wanted so very much to play again. But the coach decided there would be tryouts;
ten people would be cut from the team. I love tennis, but I’m not good at it,
not really, so I was worried about not making the team.
I
prayed, but continued to worry. I put off blogging and reading my Bible in
order to practice tennis.
Tryouts
came and I was failing, gradually moving closer and closer to being booted off
the team.
Desperate,
I skipped tryouts one day (so I wouldn’t lose another tryout game) and went to
a tennis court in a park so that I could practice my serve alone.
I
prayed. Better, more honest, praying than before. I admitted that I could not
play tennis well and, therefore, could not make the team without His help. I asked
for His help, but I said that ultimately, even if I wasn’t to make the team, I
would realize that’s His will for me. So I practiced my serve while praying
this, and I failed, making only about three out of ten serves. I said, “God, I
can’t make the team without being able to serve. It would be awesome if someone
would help me.” There were plenty of people in the park and I figured one of
them could be a tennis aficionado.
I
served more and more. About half an hour later, I was ready to leave. But as I
was picking up my tennis balls, one of the parents of a girl on the tennis team
(it was already obvious she was going to make the tryouts) came to practice his
serve. He saw me and asked if I wanted help.
I
almost started crying. God had answered! He had sent this parent, who happens
to excel at serving, to help me.
So
he helped me with my serve and it got better.
And
when I went to tryouts the next day, my serve was better. But I was still
losing. So I went home- actually not yet. I started to drive home and You Are I
Am by MercyMe came on and it was perfect. I started crying then and I realized
that I had been making conditions (if I get on the tennis team, I will read the
Bible three times a day instead of two, etc.) and hadn’t truly been trusting God to take care of it. So I settled that. I
went to tryouts again and lost some more. But I went home one night and there
was an email from the coach asking for uniform sizes. I was like, what in the
world, are tryouts over? I emailed him and you know what he said? He had
decided not to do tryouts anymore; EVERYONE WAS MAKING THE TEAM!
I
felt like such an idiot! God had it
under control the whole time. Yet I had worried my butt off. He took care of it
– he took care of me – and all is well, better than well even. Because now I realize
once again that when God said, “All things are possible,” He meant ALL THIINGS
ARE POSSIBLE (Matthew 19:26). He meant, “I can do anything. So trust. Pray,
trust, give ME all your worries and doubts.” Just trust that He is all powerful
and all knowing. He not only knows
what is best, but is best able to make the best happen! How amazing!
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this
is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” –Matthew 19:26
Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean
not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will
make your paths straight. –Proverbs 3:5
Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord
our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand
firm. –Psalm 20:6-8
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In
God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal
man do to me? –Psalm 56:3-4
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s
unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. –Psalm 32:10
He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he
who walks in wisdom is kept safe. –Proverbs 28:26
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