When faced with decisions, we can only see how that choice will affect us right now. God Sees the whole big picture.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV
It’s a tied game in the fourth quarter as time ticks away. The quarterback looks out at the defense as both teams line up for what will be the most important play of the game. At first glance, the quarterback sees the defense backed off and assumes they will play coverage, so he calls a run play up the middle with a smile on his face, thinking about how their team is about to win the game. However, right before he snaps the ball, the coach on the sidelines gets word in his headset from the coach in the press box to change the play, Frantically, he yells out at the quarterback to do a play action play instead and throw the ball down the field.
The quarterback ignores this command as he believes his coach must not have seen what he is seeing. He snaps the ball, and suddenly realizes the linebacker he assumed was going to play coverage is now blitzing full speed right towards him. Seeing there is no one in the backfield to protect him, he tries to scramble but ends up with a face-mask full of turf. Ultimately, the drive that looked so promising ends with defeat and regret.
What the quarterback did not realize was that the coach in the press box, sitting high above the stadium, saw the opposing coach call out a blitz to the linebacker. The quarterback could not see this because he was looking straight ahead and had very limited vision of the field. The coach in the press box, however, could see the whole picture.
This same concept is true in our everyday lives. When faced with decisions, we can only see how that choice will affect us right now. We don’t know how our decisions will affect us in two months and much less two years from now. We see that attractive girl or guy that is funny and easy to talk to and decide in our minds they would be excellent to date. We see that party or event as a great night to have fun and something all our friends are doing. We see that getting high will give us a rush right now and we want that feeling. Meanwhile, our coach is yelling at us to call an audible and to get out of that relationship or avoid that situation all together.
In our limited vision, we think we know best, and God is just trying to hold us back from having fun and enjoying life. We ignore His commands and date who we want and do whatever feels good to us in the moment. What we fail to see is that the “perfect” guy or girl will end up cheating on us in a month and leave us heartbroken and full of regret from the mistakes we made with them. At that party, we we’ll have a great time, until we get drunk and do some things that we can’t take back. After getting high, we’ll decide to grab something to eat and while driving to the diner will hit another student walking across the street. We will then face jail time and that person will be on a long road to recovery.
See, God could see the whole picture. He is sitting in the “press box” over the field of our lives. He knows what the devil will call up next and when the blitzing linebacker will be sent. He warns us to avoid certain people and actions, not to hold us back, but to protects us and give us great success in the game of life. God can see the whole picture and knows how every action we do will affect us long term. So, next time when we think we know best, we need to stop and look up at our coach. Whatever He tells us do, even if it doesn’t make sense to us, we need to follow Him full-heatedly, knowing His call will always be for our good and His glory.
Jesus, I give you control of my life today. I admit that I am a sinner and can never truly win in life without you. I know you died on the cross for my sins and are alive today. I ask you to save me from my sins and be the LORD of my life from this day forward. I will trust your calls for my life going forward. Amen!
By Bradley Stubbs
Used by Permission
Further Reading
• Keeping Yourself in God’s Love – even during painful times in your life
• How you can Walk in the Spirit – printable lesson (pdf file)
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