I had the opportunity this weekend to hit the golf links with a couple of friends. It was a beautiful late afternoon/evening. For all you golfer types, I started out with a par-birdie and I thought I was in for a good day. Then I played the third and fourth holes. It’s still painful to think about. Through the tenth hole I struggled to find my game, with a few okay shots and mostly atrocious ones. Really, it was bad and sad. I was having problems with one of the most basic aspects of golf, my grip. Even as I tried to correct my grip problem, things got worse.
Someone said that golf doesn’t build character, it reveals character. I’m not sure about the accuracy of the statement, yet golf does provide great lessons for life. Yesterday I was learning lessons about perseverance and determination. As I walked the tenth fairway, which is one of the holes closest to the clubhouse, I was pretty dejected. I had already made several adjustments to my grip and I was running out of ideas. The easiest thing would have been to have quit and tell my friends I’d be waiting for them in the clubhouse when they got done and go drink ice tea. Have you ever noticed that when things get tough the easiest thing is to quit? It can be a very attractive option.
As I stood on the 11th tee, I didn’t know if the ball would go left or right or somewhat in the direction of hole. Based on the previous eight holes, there was nothing in my recent memory to expect anything but another poor shot. But I hadn’t given up…yet! As I stood looking at 500 yards of fairway in front of me and a 20 MPH breeze in my face, I determined to try another change in my grip. This time I took the club back and smacked the ball. Several seconds later the ball landed on the right side of the fairway over 275 yards away. I can’t hit the ball much harder, given it was into a pretty stiff wind. For the final seven holes, I continued with the change I’d made in my grip and played significantly better. There were still a few bad shots, but that’s golf.
Most of you reading today’s blog probably don’t play golf. But most of you do encounter difficult circumstances in your life and you feel like you’ve done everything you know to do, and quitting may seem like the best option. It is an option, but it’s not the best option. With perseverance and determination you will get through whatever you’re going through. When Satan comes against us (he may have invented golf, BTW), he wants us to give up. When you don’t give in to your circumstances and quit, it deals a major blow to his strategy.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 New Living Translation
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit.
9 We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.
It might sound cheesy, but I still like the saying: Winners never quit, and quitters never win!
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