Originally published 9/19/23
My husband and I are avid golfers. We love being able to play while we spend time together. While I do not enjoy it as much when it is hot, I do love being outside. I enjoy being able to look more closely at God’s beautiful creation. Each leaf, each flower, and each bug has been created with such detail.
As I prepare to play a round of golf, I mentally review all the things necessary to make a good golf swing. I know the exact thing to do to execute the best golf swing. I love to watch the trajectory of the ball after the perfect swing. What about the not-so-perfect swing? The ball may go left or it may go right. What about that swing where the ball only goes a few feet? What about the ball that ends up in the wrong fairway? Do we give up and never swing a club again?
My walk with the Lord is like my golf swing in many ways. I know what Scripture says I should do. I’m reminded of Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” The Lord directs my steps, but sometimes I don’t execute them very well. I may completely ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I may not show kindness when I know I should. I may not speak the words I know I should.
My plan each day is to do exactly what the Lord wants me to do. I find I am pretty successful until I get out of bed. There are so many opportunities each and every day to execute God’s plan for our lives. He puts people in our path continually. Do we show the love of Christ the way we should or do we whiff? Do we know better but not do not do better?
Our Christian walk is like a golf game. In the beginning, we hit a lot of bad shots. As we grow closer to the Lord, we become much more consistent. Each time we do something for the Lord, it gets easier. Each time we faithfully follow God’s leading, the next time seems to be less scary. We get better at listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As hard as I try, not all shots are good. Not all my efforts to follow God’s leading are successful. However, the Lord is teaching me how to trust Him. He leads me to do things that I feel so unqualified to do.
In golf, there is that one shot that brings you back to play another day. Sometimes our walk with the Lord is the same way. For me, it has been reading the Bible chronologically in a year. I started the plan in January exactly the same as I had done many years before. However, I worked on my pre-shot routine. I asked friends to pray for my journey. I purchased a devotional study that followed the plan. I also joined a Facebook group that held me accountable. As each month drew to an end, I discovered that I was keeping up. As September draws to a close, there is no one more surprised than me that I am completely on track. Reading the Bible chronologically has given me such insight into the Big Story of Scripture. I see God’s faithfulness so much more clearly.
What if I hadn’t tried again? I would have missed out on such a blessing by being in God’s word every day.
What is the shot that keeps you coming back? Have you whiffed and are afraid to swing again? Remember that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The important thing is to keep swinging.