July 1, 2019

I have been enjoying time in Colorado with friends, mostly attending three ball games at Coors Field starring the Colorado Rockies vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. The games have been wonderful, with some spectacular home runs and plenty of action, and I have liked learning about players like Charlie Blackmon, whose homers and other hits have spurred the team to win against a team they have lost to in the past.
              Why am I talking about baseball in a column related to grief and depression and Christian faith? Watching these players and reading about them leads me to speculate again on the subject of resilience. How do people with hundreds of thousands focused on their abilities, their histories, and their performance exist under that pressure? Even more important, how do they bounce back and continue to function when they make mistakes or fail momentarily?
              We expect these “stars,” whether they are professional athletes or professional performers always to be at the “top of their game,” always to be pleasing us, not losing or failing or even hesitating. What happens when expectations are not met? Often they face losing their popularity, their positions, perhaps even their careers. As a result, resilience is essential so that they immediately reconnect with the top of their games again.
              Thank goodness, our position as Christian people in need of resilience is a different matter. Are we under pressure and in need of making successes out of our lives and relationships? Of course! However, do we need to do this alone? No, not if we believe in walking with our Lord, the Light of the World, the Savior of us all? Not if we know that He loves us so much that He gives us reason to be resilient.
               My major concern is that all people, including importantly our children and young people, need to know that Christian faith gives them not only the promise of future everlasting life and forgiveness but also the promise of a present way to live. In that way of life made clear by Jesus, we can embrace all of our opportunities and relationships and we can find the resilience to go on no matter what happens.
              What an amazing gift God has given us in His Son and our faith! Let’s play ball!!