I was always nervous as I stood in line waiting for the team to be chosen. It didn’t matter what sport, how well I had played in the past, or my insider knowledge of when I would be chosen, I stood with a set a butterflies in my stomach that would not be quelled. There was always a chance that I would be left standing, alone, vulnerable, and open to ridicule. Outcomes, for me, were never automatic or certain.
The fear of not “making it” travels far longer in our lives than any of us would care to admit. It is as if it is buried so deep in our souls that no experience, assurance, or ego is able to withstand its power. The irony is that those who carry this fear often go to great lengths to hide any possible revelation. This process often strengthens the hold and intensity that the thought has on our lives. And so we wait, wondering, thinking, and playing out scenarios that never seem to end.
Imagine a world where the choice to have you on the first string was automatic. You have the skills. You have demonstrated the right attitude. Your commitment is known and understood. The process of selection morphs from a potential disaster playing out with brief glimpses of hope to an amazing celebration of everything that has led to this moment and what will be! Life isn’t about being rejected and failure, it is about hope and acceptance. Life doesn’t need to be laced with guilt; mercy and compassion are the wrappings that bring everything alive.
Extend this thought right through your relationship with God. Don’t worry about your failures; concentrate on saying “yes”! Don’t focus on yesterday’s accident; see and realize today’s opportunity! Bathe in God’s love, principles, and offer of relationship. Live it fully and completely. The result is amazing. “How blessed are those who wash their robes! The Tree of Life is theirs for good, and they’ll walk through the gates to the City.” (Revelation 22.14)
This is “our” outcome. No rejections here.
