I just spent the last weekend watching a lot of football—a Varsity HS game, two third-grade games, a fifth-grade game, an NDSU Bison college game and an NFL game. Thankfully, I love watching the sport, except, of course, when my sons are at the receiving end of a hard tackle. Yikes! That’s hard to watch. Why didn’t anyone tell this mom that kids could hit so hard at such a young age?

None the less, I watched these games as player after player—regardless of age, ability or talent—got tackled again and again and again. I heard the clashing of helmets and the grunts and the groans that come from such intense contact. Depending on the strength of the tackle, I witnessed some players get up quickly while others slowly stood to their feet with their heads the last to rise. I saw some players offer a helping hand or a pat on the back to a teammate who took a hard hit, and yet I watched others lie on the ground, unable to move, as everyone wondered the outcome of the tackle. In every situation, I recognized the existence of complete dedication and steadfastness. No one ever gave up.

Somewhere between washing uniforms and running to the next game I realized that this sport of football is much like life. We will get tackled. And just like in football, we will get knocked down again, and again, and again. The moment a player finds the courage to step on the field, the tackles come and they come hard. The same goes for when we finally find our place of influence—where God has called us to be. When we step out in faith and courage through the power of the Holy Spirit and begin to build up His kingdom in the way He uniquely designed us to, we better be geared up, with helmet on, ready to receive the tackles and be prepared to get up over and over and over again. Just like a football player expects to be tackled when he walks on the field, we too must come to expect and be alert to the tackles that will attempt to keep us down and prevent us from fulfilling our God-designed purpose.

In preparation to receive a tackle, a football player must remember a few things: cover the ball with two hands to prevent a fumble and let the opponent get possession; lower the shoulder to maintain a firm stand and make it more difficult to be tackled; and pump the legs to continue to move forward and make it harder for the opponent to grab the legs and bring a player down quickly.

These same strategies apply to us as we take our tackles from an opponent who desires to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10b) all that God has intended. The enemy’s primary goal is to knock us off course, to fill us with fear and doubt. The hits pierce us in the places where we are most vulnerable. We will fall. But just like a football player, we need to be steadfast and immovable. Some hits might be harder than others. We may quickly rise one time and not so quickly the next. We may need a helping hand from a trusted friend. But remember, when we hold on to the purpose God has given us, with two hands, the opponent cannot get possession. When we stand firm, lower our shoulder, and hold on to the courage living in us through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be harder to take down. When we resist him, pump our legs and continue to move forward, we will gain ground and our courage will grow.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil, prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith. 1 Peter 5:8 

To resist the enemy’s every move, to get up after every tackle, to remain steadfast in our pursuit of fulfilling our purpose, we must remain in His Word and pray daily so we continue to find courage and confidence in the One who created us and died for us so that we may have life.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:7 

The next time a tackle comes in an effort to knock you down, gear up and remember this encouragement from Paul, who wrote this to the people of Corinth who so desperately needed support.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Breathe peace, my friends.

Natalie