What do you do when things don’t go your way? What do you do when disappointments seem to shatter your dreams? What do you do when you get fired unexpectedly from your job? What do you do when your nineteen-year-old son commits suicide?
Think about it: How do you respond when life throws you for a sudden detour? Some people retreat. They withdraw and often succumb to bouts of deep depression. Some people squeak and squawk. They get angry and throw temper tantrums that could rival any three-year-old. Some people seek revenge. They are the ones wearing the T-shirts, “Don’t get mad. Get even!” And they’re the ones whose lives are ruined by resentment and bitterness. Others whine, complain and sing the doleful refrain to as many who will listen.
You know that this journey in life is full of unexpected twists and turns. How you handle them helps define who you are and where you are going.
I’ve been laid up this past week following a minor surgery. There’s an unexpected turn for you. I’d much rather be playing ball in the back yard with my boys and helping my wife with the laundry. Summer’s made for baseball, bicycling, and barbeque – not for sitting immobile in the living room reading books. Even so I must ask myself: What am I doing when things aren’t going my way?
Think about it: How do you respond when life throws you for a sudden detour? Some people retreat. They withdraw and often succumb to bouts of deep depression. Some people squeak and squawk. They get angry and throw temper tantrums that could rival any three-year-old. Some people seek revenge. They are the ones wearing the T-shirts, “Don’t get mad. Get even!” And they’re the ones whose lives are ruined by resentment and bitterness. Others whine, complain and sing the doleful refrain to as many who will listen.
You know that this journey in life is full of unexpected twists and turns. How you handle them helps define who you are and where you are going.
I’ve been laid up this past week following a minor surgery. There’s an unexpected turn for you. I’d much rather be playing ball in the back yard with my boys and helping my wife with the laundry. Summer’s made for baseball, bicycling, and barbeque – not for sitting immobile in the living room reading books. Even so I must ask myself: What am I doing when things aren’t going my way?
Last week I finally read the book, Quiet Strength, by Tony Dungy. Many of you know that Tony Dungy is the head football coach for the Indianapolis Colts, who led his team to a Super Bowl victory in 2007. I bought this book several months ago and have been looking forward to reading it. My wife and I heard Coach Dungy speak briefly at the Southern Baptist Convention last month, as well, so it was about time I got to it.
The book is a memoir of Dungy’s life. Repeatedly he reminds his readers that even though he loves the game of football, and even though the sport has brought accolades and honors few others have attained, Dungy maintains that life’s not about football – it’s about the journey. He writes in the Introduction: “It’s about the things I’ve learned, the mistakes I’ve made, and the heartaches that have made me lean into the Father’s presence.”
Dungy is the guy whose dreams were shattered with disappointment. As a standout quarterback for the University of Minnesota in the 1970’s, Dungy dreamed about moving on to the next level and playing quarterback in the NFL. His dream, like that of millions of young boys, was about to become a reality. The disappointment came, however, as he sat by his phone while twelve rounds of players were being selected in the draft – without his name being called.
How did he respond? Dungy kept his faith in the Lord and prayed for direction through his devastation. Offers had come in from other teams to try out for different positions, and he eventually made the Pittsburgh Steelers as a non-drafted free agent defensive back. It was from this life detour that he later met his wife and began a coaching career that would prepare him to become one of the greatest coaches in football.
Dungy is also the guy who was fired from his job unexpectedly. Despite turning a losing Tampa Bay program into a strong playoff team in only two years, Dungy was fired as head football coach at Tampa after six great years. Why? His teams never quite made it all the way to the Big Game. He was running a terrific football program, filled the stands at every game and was extremely involved in community outreach, yet it wasn’t enough for the owners.
How did he respond? Dungy writes: “There was no one to be upset with. God just wanted me to move on to a different situation. His time for me in Tampa had been completed.” No bitterness, no revenge. Dungy saw God’s hand at work and submitted himself to follow wherever the Lord opened up the next door – which would soon be Indianapolis.
Tony Dungy is also the guy whose nineteen-year-old son committed suicide. As the Colts sprinted to a 13-0 record in 2005, at the top of his game as a coach, delighting in the joy of his family, strong and growing stronger daily in his walk with the Lord, Dungy’s oldest son took his own life.
How did he respond? He took comfort in the promises and presence of God. Dungy spoke at the funeral service saying: “What’s kept our family going these last couple of days is what we believe, and we believe God when He says that He works all things for His good for those who love the Lord. It’s hard to accept because we can’t always see it, but we have to believe it…”
Friend, how do you respond to life’s unexpected journeys? A final quote from the last page of Dungy’s book that I hope helps your faith rest on God’s sovereignty: “And so we press on…We press on with our sense that life’s not always fair. And we press on with the knowledge – and assurance – that even though we can’t see all of God’s plan, He is there, at work and in charge, loving us… We press on into an abundant life on earth, followed by an eternity with God.”
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