Track and field throwing events can greatly frustrate their participants. Most athletes I have coached did not have the strength, agility, and coordination to excel. Everyone is a ten in life somewhere, but throwing the shot, discus, or javelin exceptionally well is not it for most people.
A small percentage of the athletes I have coached have had the will to practice these events year-round and the natural ability, coordination, and patience to master good throwing techniques. In twenty-six years of coaching, I have had six, with two standing out. Those two are the best male and female throwers in school history.
My best throwers competed to make a name for themselves and try to earn college scholarships. That is difficult, especially for boys. Compared to many sports, the glory even outstanding throwers receive is minimal in the U.S. Basketball and football players get the lion’s share.
Many athletes I coached had the natural ability to excel at a high level, but not the work ethic to fulfill their potential. When track and field season was finished in May, they were finished practicing. It was a ten-week-commitment, not a 52-week one.
I see a parallel in the spiritual realm. The Holy Spirit gives all Christians at least one exceptional ability to serve and build up Christ’s church (1 Corinthians 12:7). Unlike my throwers, they all have the supernatural ability from God to do something well to build up His Kingdom.
How they carry out that task matters more than who wins the Super Bowl, the World Series, or any other championship. God is watching and working in them if they let Him. Obedience plus work automatically yields fruitfulness. How do I know?
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:12–13 NLT). God unfailingly supplies the want-to and the power to do what pleases Him.
Like excelling in throwing, hard work is required to show the results of salvation—freedom from sin’s domination to serve and honor God with their body (1 Corinthians 6:19). That should be unmistakable.
I won’t bore you with my many disobedience-spawned spiritual failures. Let me share one success driven by God’s giving me the desire and power to do what pleases Him.
About nine years ago, God birthed a desire to write a book when I retired. That was three years before I left full-time pastoral ministry. It persisted, but I had no clarity on the book’s content.
I began writing two blogs weekly after I retired. Many ideas came from materials I had written when I was a pastor. Many others grew from God’s inspiration while I was awake at night and unable to sleep. The blogs summarized what God has taught me about walking with Him.
About thirty months after I retired, He led me in organizing 260 blogs into a book. I initially published it on Amazon but removed it about a year later. I wanted to offer it for free on my website.
I don’t know fully how God has used it. I have a window into how it has benefitted people in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Pastors there have used it to teach the basics of following Jesus to more than 8,500 people in the last three years and led more than 3,100 of them to faith in Christ. All along the way God was at work giving me the desire and power to do what pleases Him. To Him be the glory!
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God has empowered me to write “His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength.” It’s a free evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship eBook. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead more than 3,100 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 8,521 people. I invite you to check it out.
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