Shot Attempts

You’ll find your blessing in the tragic and joyful, the hard and simple, the crazy and certain.

Blessing is tucked into all the corners of your life because that is where you’ll find God.

- Thepracticeco.com

Just before Thanksgiving this past year, Pam and I traveled up to Livermore to spend a few days with our son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons.

Part of the time was spent just hanging out with them (it did include a round of golf for Steve and me), but the primary purpose for our visit was to attend one of Jericho’s (our 10-year-old grandson) basketball games. We were somewhat prepared for what we would see, as we had heard from Steve that Jericho’s team was made up of boys who were playing organized basketball for the first time and would be playing against teams that had been playing together for two years. In addition, we had been told the scores of the previous two games, which were 30-4 and 28-0. Regardless of how much we knew and understood in advance, it was still uncomfortable - at best - to watch Jericho’s team get demolished 34-4. Truth be known… it was much more difficult for us than it was for the boys, as they had fun and they were learning the game.

Our son, Steve, has volunteered to help coach, so when the game ended and we walked out the door of the gym, I said to him, “I think you need to change your goals.”

“Let’s be honest,” I said, “They are not going to win, but at least set goals for how many shot attempts they can get off, as that is something they can work towards.” (NOTE: The other team had way more, and I mean way more, “points” than we even had “shot attempts.”)

A goal of increased shot attempts would be much more realistic, and they could find joy in what they “could” do rather than what they “couldn’t” do.

Friends, I’ve actually found this to be a worthwhile goal in life and a way to discover blessings in all circumstances. Since my cancer diagnosis seven years ago, there are some things I used to be able to do that are no longer possible for me. And I have learned that focusing on what I cannot do does not create anything positive in my life, but only serves to bring me down. Instead, focusing on what I can do brings me joy and allows me a greater opportunity to give thanks regardless of my circumstances. It is what the Apostle Paul tells us we are to do, and why we are to do it.

… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Notice, Paul does not tell us to give thanks “for” our circumstances, but to give thanks “in” our circumstances, for it is “in” our circumstances where we find God and come to know Him in a deeper way.

As God told the children of Israel when they had been exiled to a foreign land and had lost hope…

It is only when we truly seek God - regardless of our circumstances - that we really find Him.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

- God, Jeremiah, 29:13

So, I have made it my motto to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can’t do, and to give thanks and praise God for those things in my life… and even to thank Him for what I cannot do, knowing that those things make me even more reliant upon Him.

Rather than try to win something that cannot be won, I’ve changed my goals to something more realistic and strive to meet those goals, thanking God for the blessing of what is possible in Him.

It’s about setting a goal for more “shot attempts” when points are hard to come by.

Pastor Ken

‍