Sports Spectrum

Toward the end of the NFL preseason, the New England Patriots surprisingly traded one of their best defensive players, Richard Seymour, to the Oakland Raiders for future draft picks. It was a shocking deal—especially to Seymour. For several days, he refused to report, apparently because he was so disappointed by being traded from a great team where he was an integral part of a consistently winning program, to a team that has floundered in chaos in recent years. Although he eventually reported to the Raiders, Seymour must have felt blindsided by the unexpected and unwanted change of direction his career had undergone.

We also face times of change and transition that can be as unsettling as they are unwelcome. We like the status quo, because it feels right. We like our comfort zones because they are comfortable. Then disruption invades our world, and it is easy for us to become resentful and angry of the changes in life we never wanted to begin with.

For the follower of Christ, however, there is more. If we believe that God is at work in our lives, we can trust that He is at work, even through the changes we find hard to grasp or accept. We can rest in His good purposes, even when the people involved may not have our best interests at heart. This was certainly true of Joseph who, in the book of Genesis was sold into slavery by his brothers. Years later, when the purposes of God were realized, Joseph was able to say to those same brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). A robust trust and confidence in the goodness of God can enable us to manage the unwanted changes of life—for we can rest assured that He is at work. And He really does have our best interests at heart.

Join us tomorrow on Sports Spectrum, when we take a further look at trusting God in the changes of life.

Bill Crowder, Sports Spectrum Chaplain

Categories: National Football League