Church

I Can’t Play Basketball!

Jan 18, 2007

So…last night I sat and watched the Heels destroy Clemson.  I had a GREAT time at the game…and it was a good game for a while…but it just seemed that we could not get our shots to fall.

However, what I could not get over was how these guys, both during warm ups and the game, made playing basketball look so easy.

Seriously—when they dunked the ball—it looked EASY.  However…MOST of us know it’s NOT EASY!  I remember trying and trying to dunk a basketball before…and I just could not do it.  And then last night I see guys not even putting effort into dunking during warm ups and doing it with ease…and it just sort of made me sick.

And dribbling the ball…trust me…when it comes to this I have absolutely NO skills at all.  I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time…so if you are ever playing ball against me…and I am bringing it down the court…trust me, I have NO skills and you need to fear NOTHING!

And then shooting the three point shot—DANG!  During warm ups these guys were just sort of throwing it up there and it was going in…and in the game a lot of the same thing was happening.  Me…first of all I have the UGLIEST shot in the world—and second…I get excited if I just get near the rim with a three point shot.

I told the guys I went with last night, “What we saw on the court this evening was talent…that’s it!  I could practice for eight hours a day, five days a week…and NEVER be as good as the guys on the court tonight.”  (And if you’ve seen me play you can say “Amen!”)

BUT…I am ok with that…and here is why—God didn’t design me to be a basketball player!  (If He did then He is pulling one pretty sick joke!)  I don’t have the knowledge—the quickness—nor the athletic ability.  AND…get this…I am FINE with that; in fact, BECAUSE I understand that then it better allows me to pursue exactly what He has called me to.

God has a purpose for our lives—period.  He tells us in Ephesians 2:10 that we are HIS workmanship (better translation is His masterpiece!)  AND—I sincerely believe that even though none of us are good at everything…that we all are good at something…and that something is in line with the purpose that He has for us.

Discovering your purpose in life is a process…and I wish it wasn’t.  I wish we were just born with the knowledge—but we are not.  And unfortunately too many people never find their purpose in life because they are either wishing they were someone else OR they are pursuing a dream that was NOT put in their heart by God.

One of the biggest lies to hit our culture is this, “You can be anything you want to be AND/OR do anything you want to do…if you believe in yourself and try hard enough then you will succeed.”  I think that phrase is a load of crap…and you do to…and I can prove it to you in two words…

AMERICAN IDOL!  

For the record I do not watch it a lot—but one of the things I do watch is when the people get on there who think they can sing…who believe with all their heart that singing is what they are supposed to do…who are trying as hard as they can…and who sound like a cow dying in a hail storm rather than someone who is making music.

You’ve seen it…you know it is true!!!  And we laugh…but it is also sad because they are pursuing A purpose…but is isn’t GOD’S purpose…and I have discovered that those who pursue a purpose other than God’s are the ones who wind up MISERABLE!!!

SO…why are you here?  What is it that God wants you to do?  What is it that you are good at?  (And please don’t say, “I am not good at anything.”  Quit that flippin’ pity party…it makes me sick!!!  You were designed in the image of God…and He doesn’t make junk!  You are NOT junk!  Stop it!!!  Get off of your rear end and get on with life!!!)  That’s just my mercy gift coming out!!!  :-)

How do you discover God’s purpose?  Well…I do not think it is done through taking another spiritual gifts test…seriously…there are TONS out there…and they MAY assist…but here are a few suggestions…

  • Attend a church where the Bible is preached in a way you can understand.
  • Ask God to speak to you before walking into the church service…maybe pray in your car as a family before ever getting out!!!
  • Spend time in Scripture on your own!
  • Volunteer in your church!  Seriously—I have said this several times…nearly everyone we have on staff at one time was a volunteer who had NO IDEA that they were supposed to be in ministry…but God used them getting involved to set them on fire.
  • Ask God through prayer what it is you were designed to do.
  • Make a list of what you are good at AND enjoy.  In this you will discover that following Christ is NOT miserable…but rather an experience in which you experience a FULL life!!!

No…I can’t play basketball…and I never will be able to.  BUT…I can do what I do to the best of my abilities…and in so doing make the name of Jesus famous.  That is my calling…and it is yours as well—what is your next step?