I get down!

Hebrews 12 (The Message)

 ^1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

My faith is not perfect. I wish it was. Sometimes I am up and sometimes I get down. Usually I get down about earthly things and it drags my faith down with it. It's always money, relationships, or just plain when I don't get my way. It's these times when I lose sight of what it's all about and it's at those times that I need my faith the most. This happened last night. I am a super competitive person and when we lose a big game, I don't handle it very well. I want to win. I hate losing and I hate it when our teams don't play up to their potential and lose a game we should win. It's at that time I lose sight of what we are all about. Athletics are a great format for teaching kids. It teaches them to work hard, to set goals. to handle victory, to handle defeat, and to handle controversy. It teaches all of these life skills in a microcosm of sports. However, I ONLY enjoy learning to deal with victory. If I have to deal with this other stuff I get down. In reality, these set backs, defeats, or unattained goals are minor in the scheme of life. Better yet, they are major in the scheme of life because they always help us to prepare for our future. I will guarantee that we will all faces setbacks, losses, and controversy at some point in our future.

One of the best ways to get out of the dumps is to review Christ's story or the story of Paul, or the story of Steven.  Any number of "veterans" of the faith. You see, there is nothing that we are facing right now that can't be matched by these pioneers of the faith. There is nothing that we can go through that can even closely compare to death on a cross.  We need to keep sight on the finish. We need to stay grounded in the faith by continuously studying the word of God.  Remember you are running a race in the faith. Sometimes we get so down that we stop running altogether. The weight of this world drags us down so much that we can not take one more step. It's at that point we need to strip those worldly weights and start running again. We need to keep the eye on the finish line and we need to look forward to an exhilarating finish. A finish with God in Heaven for eternity.  In life we will face loss from cancer, death of family members or close friends, loss of a job, financial setbacks and more. We can not let these life's trials to get us down. We know someone who had defeated even death on a cross. We are victorious through him. Thank You Lord!

Heavenly Father, Help us to keep focused on the finish line. Help us to look to you for help in sustaining life through the many trials we face. We love you and ask your forgiveness through our lack of faith. Lord you are wonderful! Thank You! Amen!