Backward

Last night marked the kickoff of high school football. Since my son is a freshman- this is a new experience for me. We started at 4 with a pep rally followed by a team meal- then everyone was transported to the field for a 7:30 game that lasted until 10:45. This was a varsity game but the JV team was required to dress out and attend with a few promised some playing time- my son being one of those. He did not get any, not even one minute on the field.

We drove him and one of his friends home and as we discussed the night's game talk inevitably turned to last year's season. Aahh- middle school football, the glory days for Brandt and Sam- the fastest 2 on the team, coaches favorites, teammates heroes...They relived moments and glories until they finally both said-"I wish I could go back! If they would let me I would go back now and show those kids how to play and run the ball!"

Have you ever heard of high schoolers wanting to go back to middle school? High school is a promotion- you're moving forward, growing up. But these boys are longing to go backward. Not that I can blame them on this one. Sitting in the stands for 4 hours and watching kids play you don't even know is not a lot of fun to me, especially compared to watching my MVP in on every play last year. Why does a promotion feel so much like they're going backward?

The Israelites felt the same way when they left Egypt and were promoted to the desert. They left slavery to be free people but then God took them to the desert! What was He thinking? They could have loved and served Him so much better from the Promised Land- but He drags them into the desert without even as much food and water as they had in Egypt. And they tell Him- they are not happy about it- they even decide at some point they want to go back to Egypt!

Brandt and Sam are great athletes and great football players- they will play again regularly. But this season they are learning. No matter how much they want to be- they are not Varsity players yet, not fully. But they can't go back. In their case- they physically cannot go back to being younger. But if they could- they still couldn't- not if they ever wanted to get better than an 8th grade player. They have to be around players that are better than them- they have to learn some new things, become more seasoned- then when it's their turn for Varsity- they will be ready.

We all enter seasons where we feel like God has dropped us into some hole and want to go back to where we were. We think we could do such great things if He would just put us in the game!But sometimes this is part of the process. We need time to learn, to grow, to become more seasoned in His Word and His Presence. Sometimes we have been through a trying season and we just need to rest and let Him strengthen us physically, mentally, or emotionally. Whatever the reason-we need to let God have His way and if we do, I promise we won't spend 40 years in the hole like the Israelites in the desert!