Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Worry”
Our Bible verse for today: “Five times I received 39 lashes from the Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans. Once I was stoned by my enemies …”
2 Corinthians 11:24-25 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “You have to decide how you will handle adversity.”
It’s been over twenty years now since sports fans everywhere were impressed and inspired by the example of professional baseball pitcher Dave Draveky. Many of us still remember it. Dave was a great pitcher and a strong Christian. He was the kind of professional sports figure who took his responsibility as a role model seriously.
Sadly, at the height of his career, Dave was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in the shoulder of his pitching arm. The entire thing, all the way up to and including the shoulder, had to be amputated. Not only was Dave’s career in baseball finished, but his life was altered in a major way. A big part of the left side of his body was gone.
But within months of the amputation Dave was out on the speaking circuit as a featured speaker at Promise Keeper events; he appeared on television and radio talk shows; he visited in schools; he wrote books. Rather than worry and weep over his misfortune, Dave dealt with it as best he could and then moved on with life in a positive way.
The Apostle Paul was like that. Spend a few minutes reading 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 to see a brief summary of just some of the things he endured. Then read Philippians chapter four where Paul writes about how he learned to be content in all circumstances and to draw his strength from Jesus regardless of what he was facing. Paul didn’t weep and whine and worry. He dealt with the difficulties and then just got on with life.
Let’s be clear: You are not responsible for everything that happens to you. But you are responsible for how you deal with what happens to you. As author Eric Greitens writes, “There is a big difference between acknowledging pain and wallowing in it. Wallowing in pain is a life trap, the quicksand of achievement.”
Dave Draveky and the Apostle Paul acknowledged their difficult circumstances but they didn’t worry about them and they didn’t wallow in them. They dealt with them and they moved on with life.
Yes, worrying and wallowing is a life trap, it is quicksand. But the real danger of quicksand is not that it keeps you stuck where you are, it’s worse than that. Quicksand sucks you in and keeps taking you deeper and deeper until eventually it swallows you up.
But you don’t have to allow that to be the case with respect to your problems. Remember, you may not be responsible for everything that happens to you, but you are responsible for how you deal with it. Choose to deal with it in a positive, God honoring way. Then move on with your life as best you can in whatever the prevailing circumstances are.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 