Reflections for October 20, 2010

"God Of Another Chance"

The night of October 16 was an exciting time. USC Gamecocks had defeated the Number One Crimson Tide of Alabama. Following the game, I began to play out the remainder of the season in my head to determine what the Gamecocks would have to do to win their division, enabling them to play for the SEC Championship. In my deliberations, Kentucky posed one of the lesser problems to be faced.

The night of October 23 was entirely different. USC had forgotten that you had to play both halves of a ballgame. Kentucky, the team I had not considered a serious threat, rallied in the second half to hold USC scoreless and to score 21 points of their own, giving them the victory. Once again, I laid awake replaying the game. Instead of thoughts of a conference championship, there were waves of disappointment, frustration, confusion, and shattered hopes. As a result, I was not sure I would even bother to watch the game the following week, because I was afraid of another week of frustration.

On October 24 I attended church and listened to a message about God’s great salvation. It reminded me of the price God paid for my forgiveness. It also reminded me of the many times I had stumbled and fell in my life. I have not always stumbled over large boulders. Often times, it has been over the small stones in my path, the things that I least expected. I could not help but think about how disappointed my Heavenly Father must have been in me during these times.

I am glad His attitude toward me has not been the same attitude I had toward the stumbling of my favorite team. While I was ready to give up on them and cast them aside, God has always convicted me of my failure and forgiven me when I confessed my wrong. Instead of casting me aside, He has picked me up, dusted me off, and told me to get back in the game, knowing all the time I would eventually stumble again.

Although I do not have the power to pick up my team, to dust them off, and to put them back in the game, I can at least agree to turn on the TV and to cheer for them in their next game. Hopefully, the outcome will be different. More important, I do have the power to forgive others, when they have sinned against me. I have the power and responsibility to forgive them and to give them another chance, just as God has forgiven me.