Michael Jordan

 Who'd believe he was once cut from a team?

Today I am thankful for Michael Jordan.  That is a weird thing to be thankful for I know but allow me to explain.  I like every other person in the world, especially every other American, am incredibly blessed.  I also, like every other person (especially Americans), loose sight of that fact daily.  Sometimes I can't see past my circumstances to realize the truth... that I am blessed, that I am loved.  My perspective is off.

My last blog was about learning to be content in my current circumstances.  It was my attempt at trying to begin to understand what Paul talks about in Philippians 4:11 (only not as serious because unlike Paul I have never been shipwrecked, lost at sea, beaten, stoned, starved, or imprisoned).  However, days later it became clear that I am nowhere close to understanding this lesson as I found myself trapped and disoriented in a negativity avalanche.  A negativity avalanche is when a small negative thought/event/act snowballs and grows into a large amount of negativeness right before hitting you so hard you don't know which way is up or down.  Inside this negativity avalanche people would try to give me Bible verses but it didn't help.  I knew them but I didn't feel them... believe them, or maybe I was just choosing not to.  All I could see was the negativeness that kept me there, frustrated and claustrophobic. I was angry again.  I was bitter again.  I couldn't see outside of the negativity.  I was 26 living at home with no job and it seemed so permanent again.  I was a failure again.  I used to be important, people used to look up to me, respect me... and now this... again.

But God was with me inside of that negativity avalanche.  I was ignoring Him.  I don't know why but I was resenting and resisting Him.  I was comparing myself to others.  That is one of the worst things you can do.  I would always tell my athletes in the weight room not to compare themselves with others.  Only compare yourself with yourself and monitor your own progress.  Other people may have been lifting longer, may be naturally stronger or naturally more gifted at certain movement or skill.  Just do the best you can and quantify your success based off where you came from.  But here I am doing the same thing, pointing at others and questioning God.  I don't even understand my own journey and walk... who then am I to question someone else's?  Who am I to question God?  God has a plan for them and God has a plan for me.  Both those plans are unique to God's divine and ultimate Kingdom purpose.

What does this have to do with Michael Jordan?  Lately I have been cleaning out my house.  Going through closets, drawers, boxes, etc and throwing stuff away.  Yesterday I can across a small newspaper clipping of a picture of Michael Jordan dunking a basketball and a caption that said "Who'd believe he was once cut from a team"  I was reminded of a God who loved me and of the intimate relationship he has with me.  His sovereignty.  Out of all the Michael Jordan posters, magazine and newspaper articles I could have kept... I kept that one.  That God knows I love sports and basketball so that is what He uses to get my attention.  To pull me out of the avalanche he shows me a newspaper clipping that he probably had me keep just to encourage me now.

When you think of Michael Jordan what do you think of?  The greatest basketball player of all time.  One of the greatest athletes of all time.  The tongue.  The shoes.  The mvps, titles, and rings.  The step-back, fade-away jump shots.  And of course the dunks.  Everybody knows the story of Michael Jordan getting cut off his 7th grade basketball team.  But when you think about Jordan you don't remember that... at least I don't.  You forget that his greatness was forged out of trial.  Out of disappointment.  Out of temporary failure.  God reminded me that my situation is temporary and inspired me to do everything I can right now to make myself better.  I will be reading, I will be learning, I will be teaching, and I will be coaching.  I will be working and preparing for the next opportunity I am given.   I will be reading my Bible, praying, and trying my best to walk with my Lord and Savior.

Today I am thankful for Michael Jordan and the God who used a newspaper clipping and his story to remind me of His intimate love and sovereignty.  I am thankful that even when I am ready to give up on myself He doesn't give up on me.  I have put the newspaper clipping on my bathroom mirror.  It might not be scripture but to me it might as well be.

Maybe i lead you to believe it was easy when it wasn't...

Maybe its my fault that you didn't see that failure gave me strength, 

that my pain was my motivation...