It stinks when you’ve tried your best at a sport or hobby and you realize that you’re not good enough to succeed in the way you desire.
I’d like to hop up on a surfboard like a pro if I had such an opportunity.
But the couple of times I’ve tried it in rough waves, I’ve been reminded that I lack the ability to instantly learn the process, something I’ve been able to do with several other sports.
And I’d like to be able to smash a screaming topspin across the tennis net with consistency, but back when Lori and I were playing tennis every week, such aspirations typically resulted in points for her as the ball dove into the net or sailed over the backline. Ugh!
The fact is that some things in life are very hard to master and we very well might never become fully competent in the endeavor.
In some respects, I’m just not good enough.
There is one arena of my life where I always come up the loser. That is the arena of perfect living.
I fail.
I miss the mark.
I sin.
I don’t aspire to do so. But it happens.
I might be exhausted mentally and emotionally and thoughtlessly use words not intended to wound, yet doing so.
I might be insulted by another and, instead of simply letting it slide and displaying Christlike grace, I default to worldly wittiness and fight fire with fire.
I might not rush quickly enough to the verbal defense of another when a third party starts bashing him or her verbally.
I might think more about getting an unsaved person into a church chair to boost our worship service than about getting him or her into the Kingdom of God to boost heaven’s eternal worship service.
We all fall short. We all, like sheep, have gone astray.
The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Romans 3:20:
“For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.”
Let’s never forget that we’re sinners in need of a Savior.
Thank God that we have a path to heaven walked and purchased by Jesus Christ.
Thank God that He WAS good enough to provide the sinless blood needed to pay the price of our NOT being good enough.
And thank God that we’ve been given breath to do our best at leading the good life that demonstrates and explains the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ.
We’re surrounded by people who aren’t good enough. Let’s start telling them about the One who is.
As always, I love you
Martin
