God's Coaching #27

God's Coaching #27

Fans can do some pretty crazy stuff to support their favorite athlete or team. Maybe you’ve seen shirtless football fans with painted bodies cheering on their team in freezing weather. Those guys seem ridiculous. But those fans’ actions are nothing compared to a German fan who stabbed a professional tennis player in the back during a match in Germany in 1993.

At the time, Monica Seles was the No. 1–ranked player in the world. She had beaten Germany’s Steffi Graf to take over the top spot. The fan wanted Steffi to be first again, so he rushed from the crowd and stabbed Monica’s back while she was sitting down between games. Monica’s physical injuries didn’t take long to heal, but mentally it took her years to come back. Finally, on January 27, 1996, Monica won the Australian Open—her ninth Grand Slam victory—showing that she had returned to her old form. Monica used pinpoint ground strokes and focused concentration to defeat Anke Huber 6–4, 6–1 in the finals.

What’s the Score?

When Monica claimed the 1996 title, it marked the fourth time that she’d won the Australian Open. But this victory was one of the most memorable because of what she had to overcome.

Overcoming obstacles is nothing new to athletes. All athletes have had to deal with injuries, bumps, and bruises. But Monica had to overcome both physical and mental scars. Sometimes when she sat down between games, she couldn’t help but think about somebody charging her from behind. Tournament organizers even stationed extra people behind her chair to protect her.

Maybe you’ve run into a few bumps or bruises in your life. God doesn’t promise us that everything will go smoothly when we become Christians. But he does promise to walk with us and strengthen us in hard times. First Peter 5:10 says, “After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” No matter what has happened in your past, you can trust God to help support you. When you stay close to Jesus in difficult times, he will raise you up again.

On the Ball

Bad things can happen in our lives. But even when they do, we need to trust God and let him help us to heal. By God’s strength and with his help, we can be confident that we’ll again walk on a firm foundation.

Coach’s Comment

After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 1 Peter 5:10