[notice]A monthly Christian sport column by Cobus Kruger, a professional triathlete who is passionate about evangelism, leadership and community development through sport.[/notice]
It was interesting to watch Springbok rugby and Protea cricket during the last month or two. In their European tour the Boks lost against Ireland and Wales — two matches that we didn’t expect to lose. And on the cricket front we lost the 1-day series against Australia, 1-4. With next year’s Cricket and Rugby World Cups around the corner our rugby and cricket coaches, players and supporters could start to worry because things are not going according plan… They could be “double minded” about their planning, structures and potential to win the World Cup. They could even start to doubt their planning and players. The players and coaches could start to doubt themselves. In such times it is crucial for teams and sportsmen to stick to their plans. It is important to be able to evaluate the situation and seek wisdom and a way to win. It is important for any sportsmen to decide what they need to do in situations like these, and they need to do it with confidence. A team or sportsmen won’t win in the end if they allow the games and training that do not go according plan to influence their mindset. They won’t win if they start to be become “double-minded” in situations like these. Let’s go and see what the Bible says about “double mindness”:
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“5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. (James 1:5-8)
The same principles apply to the way we play our “life game”. We plan, have goals and try to do well in all we do. Then we face times when things go wrong despite our strenuous efforts to do the right things to win for the glory of God. The harder we try to win our “life game” the more circumstances turn against us, and people just don’t get it… Then we start to pray about it, we start asking questions about our calling, dreams and our lives. Sometimes God shows us where we went off course, and then we need to change course. But sometimes the more we look into our “life game plan”, the more we realise that we are exactly where we need to be, even though our circumstances suggest differently. The voice inside of us (Jesus, The Holy Spirit) gives us confidence to go on, even though our trying circumstance may suggest a different path. In times like these we need to choose whether we are going to take the “high road” or “low road”. If we try to walk on both, then we will be in a state of “double-mindedness” and will not win the “life game” because we will be unstable in all we do as James 1: 5-8 explains.
If we choose the voice of the Holy Spirit (Jesus) then we will choose the High road. Let’s take a look what this high road looks like:
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- Discontent with the way things are
- Dreams of a better world
- Changing life for the better
- Wanting you to be an exceptional influencer!
Or if you choose to keep your mind on the negative circumstances in your life, then you choose the low road. Let’s see what that looks like:
- Maintaining life as it is…NO DREAMS!
- Determined by the software of society
- Go with the flow
- Compromise between the voice and peer expectations.
We should therefore sit at the feet of Jesus and ask for wisdom from the Dream Giver, God Himself through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We should set our mind on Jesus’ wisdom, (high road) not the false wisdom (low road).
The problem is not always that we don’t live in the will of our Father. The problem is also not always that we don’t hear His voice or don’t receive wisdom from our Father to be the light in the world. The problem is that we get into a state of “double-mindedness” when things don’t go as we planned in our “life game”. As soon as adverse circumstances hit us we start questioning God, and His will and calling. Then we allow other “so called wisdom’, opinions, and worldviews to disturb our mind. Then we have a double mind. And so we become unstable and ineffective in our day to day “game of life”..
Just as sportsmen and teams should get themselves into a position to be clear minded in what they do when things don’t go according to plan, we should be clear minded and fix our mind on God Himself, following the inner voice (Holy Spirit, Jesus) that leads to the high road.
If at the end of this year you are feeling that your life, sport, business, family or goals for the year didn’t go according plan, don’t give up!!!! Go and look at what took you of course and feed your soul with positive input that is according to God’s vision and dream for you. Then you won’t have to stress; you will be free to relax and wait on God in this time of Christmas. When God speaks, then you should act upon His will, dream and promise for your life. Choose today to walk on the high road, and don’t be influenced by the low road people around you. Be influenced by God Himself!
Choose today which road you will take, and keep yourself out of a “double mind” situation, so that you win your “life game” with confidence!
Have a Christmas filled with the presence and Love of Jesus!
Blessings Cobus.
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