I’m not a batter. Nope, not a golfer either. Don’t even ask about volleyball. I tried to improve my athletic skills in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Through various experiences I’d rather not recount, I learned a painful truth. White orbs seem destined for impact with my head, not for adding points to my ego. When the Lord endowed me with gifts, He chose not to include…basic coordination. I could defy my fate and try soccer, but I think I’ll roll with it instead.
God never urged me to pursue athletic stardom. In fact, the Creator knew I lacked the means for an average person’s achievement. He smiled upon my acceptance of ineptitude. I can picture Christ patting my battered head and saying a blessing over me, “My dearest Tina, it pleases me to see this will be your last welt. Instead of seeking to match others’ abilities, rise to the challenge for which I molded your soul.”
In pursuit of His calling, other obstacles pelted me. Stumbling blocks brought me to my knees many times. I questioned the Lord’s call, asking whether He understood my lack of endurance.
“I’m not Noah,” I told God.
He smiled again. “So, you’re insinuating I don’t know who I’ve called?”
I might have thrown a white bowling ball at my own forehead. “Okay, so You know who You made.”
I rolled with it, surrendering. If failure awaited me, I would accept the blow. I lined my dreams and esteem on a log for target practice each day, making sure no semblance of ego could survive.
The memory of Christ’s voice prompted my heart with sweet whispers of a divine purpose I once held dear. God tugged at my soul, urging me toward more than passive submission. “Will you give up, or give Me all?”
I had to accept my path as different from those of others. Once God revealed His purpose, rolling with setbacks could no longer define me. God didn’t require me to aspire toward goals outside my gifts, but He did present a path too steep for me to climb without His help. Faith means willingness to embark on a journey I cannot manage on my own strength.
“‘My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.’ Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become” (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, The Message).
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14, NIV).