Athlete, Know Your Hope
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12
Athlete, can you resonate with this proverb? Deferred means withheld until a future date. You probably experience this reality after a loss or an injury or a poor performance. The hope you expected becomes the dangling carrot you cannot seem to grasp. It can make our hearts grow sick when we continue to put our hope in something that never works out in our favor.
On the other hand, "a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Surely you have experienced the thrill and temporal joy that comes with sports success. After training and preparing, the satisfaction of achieving an athletic goal is a great feeling. It's fulfilling.
Ultimately, this proverb points to a greater reality for us. We can compare it to sports all we want. But our true longings will only be fulfilled through a relationship with Jesus. Our hearts long to be connected relationally to God. Ecclesiastes speaks to this reality when it points out that God has "put eternity in the hearts of men."
Only eternal realities will provide the lasting fulfillment that eternal beings desire.
Athlete, can you resonate with this proverb? Deferred means withheld until a future date. You probably experience this reality after a loss or an injury or a poor performance. The hope you expected becomes the dangling carrot you cannot seem to grasp. It can make our hearts grow sick when we continue to put our hope in something that never works out in our favor.
On the other hand, "a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Surely you have experienced the thrill and temporal joy that comes with sports success. After training and preparing, the satisfaction of achieving an athletic goal is a great feeling. It's fulfilling.
Ultimately, this proverb points to a greater reality for us. We can compare it to sports all we want. But our true longings will only be fulfilled through a relationship with Jesus. Our hearts long to be connected relationally to God. Ecclesiastes speaks to this reality when it points out that God has "put eternity in the hearts of men."
Only eternal realities will provide the lasting fulfillment that eternal beings desire.
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2019
May
Athlete, God CreatesAthlete, You're Made In His ImageAthlete, RestAthlete, RememberAthlete, God UnitesAthlete, Don't FallAthlete, Pain and Frustration Will EndAthlete, Stop ComparingAthlete, There Is No Middle RoadAthlete, Step Out In FaithAthlete, You're CleanAthlete, Know The CovenantAthlete, Know the NationsAthlete, Divisions ExistAthlete, God Makes PromisesAthlete, WaitAthlete, Location MattersAthlete, Who Is Melchizedek?Athlete, You Are IncludedAthlete, God Sees YouAthlete, God Gives Us Signs
June
Athlete, Be RemindedAthlete, Be Honest With GodAthlete, Reflect On His MercyAthlete, God Keeps CoveringAthlete, The Wait Is OverAthlete, God Tests Athlete, Put On The QualitiesAthlete, Be ChallengedAthlete, God works Evil For GoodAthlete, Glory is ComingAthlete, God Saves Messy PeopleAthlete, God Provides Athlete, God's in Control Athlete, God is PatientAthlete, Step Out in FaithAthlete, See the MarkersAthlete, Take Time to PrayAthlete, Let's Talk About Fresh StartsAthlete, Love is The CureAthlete, Grace is OffensiveAthlete, See the ForeshadowAthlete, Don't ForgetAthlete, God is NearAthlete, Are You Willing To Learn?Athlete, Give Thanks
July
Athlete, Cultivate IntimacyAthlete, Take ComfortAthlete, You Have An InheritanceAthlete, God Uses All of UsAthlete, ConfessAthlete, Don't DoubtAthlete, Make RoomAthlete, Ask Your QuestionsAthlete, Do Not ChargeAthlete, Be Aware of Resistance Athlete, Know Your HeartAthlete, Don't Be Stubborn Athlete, Trust JesusAthlete, Have Risky FaithAthlete, We Were Created For JoyAthlete, Understand the Already Not YetAthlete, What Are You TrustingAthlete, ReflectAthlete, You're a Royal Priest Athlete, PauseAthlete, Recognize His PresenceAthlete, Seek Justice
August
Athlete, Remember WITH not FORAthlete, David Wasn't Always PerfectAthlete, Confess to an Audience of OneAthlete, Be Honest With GodAthlete, Take NoteAthlete, Recognize the Preeminent OneAthlete, Put it to DeathAthlete, You Are Being RenewedAthlete, This is Your New UniformAthlete, Whatever You Do, Do It For JesusAthlete, Use A Different FormulaAthlete, We Are FamilyAthlete, You Have Three Deep NeedsAthlete, Fan The FlameAthlete, Start The FireAthlete, Know The AntidoteAthlete, Choose PeaceAthlete, Peace is a WeaponAthlete, It Was Not A Silent NightAthlete, This is How You Experience Peace
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