Last night I think I witnessed the longest soccer game in the history of the world.  That’s unofficial, but check this out.  After my team, the Bucs, were completed dominated, at least possession wise, for the first 58 minutes of the game, the traditional summer weather pattern produced its traditional afternoon thunderstorms and whamo, we were in a one hour lightning delay.   ( On a side note, I thought that maybe I had missed the supposed ‘rapture’ during this part of the game.  While the players where pulled from the field, and the rain still a few miles away, I decided to run to the restroom, while everyone just milled around waiting for something to happen.  After a rather long line in the restroom, I exited, to see the wind whipping around in circles, the rain starting to fall and to my surprise everyone and everything off of the soccer field.  For a moment I thought I was left behind.  – oh TMI I know, back to the game)

Before this break, the Bucs were beat.  Their faces said it, their body language said it. They were struggling to keep up, but at least they had kept their opponent out of the goal. After the lightning break, they were completely different.  They were renewed, focused, determined, and just barely missed several chances to get the ball into the goal. The game continued scoreless for the remaining 22 minutes and the 30 minutes of extra time- which lead to the famed shootout.  Fortunately, the Bucs put in 3 while keeping the opponent to only 2, to earn quite an impressive hard earned victory almost 5 hours after the kickoff, that really was the product of a renewing of their focus.

Whats interesting to me is how our days are like this some times, and for me yesterday was.  Yesterday, I was being mastered by my insane schedule and the pressure of the world and work.  I felt similar to the Bucs  – running around, chasing a ball, and having to take a highly defensive posture to survive.  However, this is not where we want to be.  We want to be living for our master, not being mastered by the world. It times like this that it may be best to declare a lightning break and regroup and refocus.  With a renewed mind,  you can continue to transform yourself into a champion of life.

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.   Isaiah 40:30-31 (New International Version)