I've been coaching high school softball for the past five years… this is something that God's been teaching me through it.
As a coach, one of the most frustrating things is to see a player with all the potential in the world, give up. I don't know how many times I've watched a girl get up to bat, strike out, then walk back to the dugout, head down, and defeated. Every time I see it, my heart breaks. I don't coach because I want to win, I coach because I want to see girls grow and recognize that they are beautiful, important, and loved. So, when a girls strikes out my heart isn't breaking because she failed, but because that same girl struck out in the last game and proceeded told me that she felt worthless. It's because of the conversation that we had after that game where she proceeded to tell me all about how she's messed up her life and how she doesn't even want to live anymore. My heart breaks because I put SO much effort into reassuring her that she is loved and beautiful and important and forgiven, and she chooses not to believe it.
I wonder how often God's heart breaks when He looks at me. Does He think the same things, "I gave you EVERYTHING and you still don't understand how much I love you! You still don't see that you are beautiful! You still don't see that you are important! I've paid the price for your past!" And I respond… "You just don't get it, God. I've messed up my life."
But truth prevails. God doesn't care about my performance. He cares about my heart. He cares about the truths that I believe. And if I, as a coach, care so much about the girls and what they are choosing to believe, how much more does God care about me and what I'm choosing to believe? It's hard to imagine.
How much more does God care about what you are choosing to believe? He gave you everything and his love for you is beyond understanding. You are beautiful. You are important! You are forgiven! Are you choosing to believe it?
