It's a Process

"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers." - Romans 8:28-29

As far as wins and losses are concerned, this tennis season has been brutal for the Scottsbluff Bearcats Men's Tennis team. We are mainly starting all sophomores at the varsity level with one junior and we just added one freshman to the line-up. Things really blew up on us Tuesday as we got rolled by an average Alliance team where we did not come close to winning one match. We lost our composure in a couple of those matches and the grind of getting beat week in and week out was starting to wear on our guys.

As the day came to a close, I found myself understanding the scripture mentioned above at a deeper level than ever before. It is amazing the incredible parable sports is to life. As I meditated on this scripture more, I felt God lay on my heart a long term vision for these sophomores, junior and freshman. Being conformed to the image of Christ is a long term process. In our microwave society, none of us like to hear the word process but never does a new believer instantly become a splitting image of Jesus, just like a freshman picking up a tennis racquet for the first time at the beginning of the season never instantly becomes a splitting image of Andre Agassi.

It is a long term process that we all go through in being conformed to the image of Jesus. Just like the experience that the Bearcats are going through right now will be invaluable in the years to come, so it will be with the trials you are dealing with in your life as well. God is using it all to make us more like Him and we can trust in that knowing that He has a purpose with it all. Of course there is a stipulation that goes along with this promise in Romans 8. It is only good for those who love God. Have you trusted Jesus as your savior? If so, then go ahead and trust him with what you are dealing with in your life right now.

Nate Lewis
FCA-Area Representative
Western Nebraska