Pratt: Faith is a journey ultimately rewarded by God's grace
Life lessons learned often take more maturity to accept than some of us want to admit.
Reminders not to give up come to mind when I think of Texas Tech's Monday night basketball contest. I actually told the man of the house that the coach probably decided to reverse strategy and play the last half of the contest first, leaving the best for last.
But did I really have confidence in my remark? No, I went into another room as the teams left the floor for the mid-game break.
I didn't return for the second part until the more faithful watcher called to tell me the game was tied late in the last minutes of the game. What an exciting finish for Red Raider fans as their team overcame a 23-point deficit to beat Iowa, rated the No. 1 team in the conference.
One of the reasons we enjoy and support major athletics in our schools and beyond is that, at some level, we recognize life itself often follows this pattern. It is those who stay with it to the end who reap the reward. Too many times, we give up when the going gets difficult.
I know at this late date, that there were times when I gave up too easily on what I might could have accomplished.
Often, we call it a lack of confidence. But our tendency to quit when the going gets tough can be a result of negative behaviors that prevent our success. Some of us just grow weary and give up. Even winners don't win all the time.
Those who keep on going may eventually achieve their goals in life. But it should be no surprise that our journey is accomplished one mile or one game at a time.
Even those who are particularly gifted will tell us that hard work is a necessity, that success as we define it is not a guaranteed outcome. It takes constant thought and effort to make it appear an easy win.
It was the Apostle Paul who urged us to finish the race as he used athletic contests as an example of how we are to approach living a life of faith and trust. The ultimate goal is giving all humanity the necessary information to become the children of God for eternity.
I think of the many churches today that are struggling to maintain their historic identity in denominational structure. They have drawn and continue to set boundaries beyond which they cannot go and be comfortable within their historic doctrinal identity.
Outsiders are quick to judge, but I see this as a healthy process even though it is always painful to make such constant adjustments.
I recall years ago a diagram that so accurately exhibits the life cycle of a family or any business enterprise. The picture was applicable to the life-stream of any organization, whether it is a nation in turmoil, a church, a family or an individual.
When we can identify with the various stages of life as represented physically, mentally, socially, it should be no surprise that something has to change. Nor is it surprising that the young are more enthusiastic about change than their elders.
God placed within humanity the ability to choose – that is the gift of being human rather than only instinctual in nature. It is true that we often abuse the privilege, choosing evil over good.
Eve gets the “credit” or “blame,” depending on who is telling the Creation story from Genesis, but it resulted in a spark of divinity God placed within humanity that makes us capable of being culpable. Thus, we are enabled as individuals to make choices between good or evil. Unlike God, we are not “all-knowing” no matter our pretense.
Faith is a journey ultimately rewarded not by our effort but by God's grace in providing his only son as the ultimate sacrifice.
He gives us choice that is no game, but the reality of forgiveness within boundaries only God can set.
Beth Pratt retired as religion editor from the Avalanche-Journal after 25 years. You can email her at beth.pratt@cheerful.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Pratt: Faith is a journey ultimately rewarded by God's grace
