A Guest Post by: Christine Laporte
As an avid football fan, I know the highs and lows of “sticking with your team”. I’m ashamed to admit I used to cry when my team lost a big game. I don’t go to that extreme any longer, but I still remain very loyal.
In February, 2013, “my team” won Super Bowl SB XLVII . The quarterback was named the game’s MVP and as a fan, I celebrated that win for quite some time. Expectations for another stellar season were high but injuries and other factors led to great disappointment. In my opinion, many people who praised the team just one year prior were pulling away their support.
As followers of Christ, I think we can sometimes do this in our relationship with the Lord Jesus too. He is our “first love” and when we initially realize that He exchanged his seat in Heaven to live as a common man, suffer great humiliation and pain on our behalf, we are indebted and dedicated to Him. Yet in this life we can go through such difficulty that we sometimes lose sight of Jesus’s sacrifice and faithfulness. Some days we just want to throw in the proverbial towel, so to speak.
As baby Christians we’re hungry for God’s word and value our time spent with Him. But I think, just like with our sports teams; and to a more serious degree, we get disillusioned with loss and can become fair weather fans of the Lord. Should we blame God when things go wrong? Does He put us there?
Personal experience has taught me that God allows us to go through troubling times and many times we end up in uncomfortable circumstances because of choices we’ve made, or the decisions of others.
Still, if we acknowledge God’s goodness, trustworthiness; and as we lean into His countless mercies, it shouldn’t take us long for us to be back on the right path. When we’re in His will, we’re in the “win” column. And if you’re following the Lord, you will not be disappointed. After all, as Peter said when faced with confusion;
66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:66-69)
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for all you have done, are doing and will do in us, for us, and through us. Amen
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