Do any of you parents out there get personally convicted while trying to teach or correct your children? Let me explain.

My son is 6 and plays competitive baseball. In season, we are at the fields six days a week at least practicing or playing. (It’s fun and exhausting at the same time!)

One of the things we’ve had to work with him on the most in the beginning of his baseball journey is to stop looking at the ball after he hits and focus on the base that he is running to instead. At one point during a practice, the coach even made him run for not listening and continuing to look at the ball. I pulled him aside and said “hey buddy, it’s important that you stop watching the ball. It slows you down while you run and causes you to make mistakes and get tagged out.”

He put his hands on his head in frustration and said “I just have to see where it’s going! I have to know where the ball is!”

And right here is where my conviction wrecked me.

How often have I refused to keep my eyes on Jesus because I need to be in control? How often have I slowed myself down in my spiritual growth and caused myself to stumble because I need to know the outcome? Because I let anxiety lead me instead? Too many times to count.

I told him, “You just keep your eye on the base and listen to what your coaches tell you. Your dad and me will record every hit you make, so you’ll always be able to go back and watch and you’ll never miss a thing. We need you to be as fast as you can so we can win!”

Conviction crept into my heart again.

The coaches are essentially asking these kids to put their faith in them. They see what’s happening. They know what direction to give. They ask the kids to do nothing else except to listen, and keep their focus on what matters.

God knows every part of the game of life. He will tell us when to move and when to stay still. He knows what’s happening when we can’t see it, and asks us to trust Him. Because if we look at everything that’s going on, we slow ourselves down. We set ourselves up for failure. We miss out when we could have gained. We lose sight of what matters most. Him.

We see this whole scenario played out from start to finish in Matthew 14:29-30, when Peter steps out of the boat to join Jesus on the water. The second he shifts his focus off Jesus, he begins to sink.

Victory is promised to those who trust in God! Maybe not always the victory we want, like taking home the championship trophy, but sometimes it’s growth beyond what we can see, and lessons to last a lifetime.

”Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What’s your focus on today? 🤍