I learned a lesson about worry and doubt. Don’t do it!! It causes you to question your capacities when you ought to know your capacities.
Before I flew to Australia for a month of lecturing I worried a bit about my tennis game falling apart while away.
I captain a USTA 3.5 Men’s Senior Team, and we had our first major tournament a few days after I was scheduled to return to the United States after a long time away.
Tennis is a relatively new sport for me, and I did not have strong faith that I could play at my usual level after a month of no practice. I didn’t want to be a drag on my team. What was I to do?
I did play once in Perth while Down Under. That helped! I proved to myself that I could still hit the ball fine, even though on grass courts. LOL
While away, to keep peace of mind, I accepted that God gave my team whatever it needed to excel, that my skills were permanently embedded in my being and could not be lost, that I could quickly rebound from a month away, and that there was nothing to worry or fear over.
When I landed in Pasco, Monday afternoon at 4 p.m., after a 25 hour flight, I headed to the tennis courts and played for three hours. What’s jet lag? It was grand fun! I was a little rusty, but improved rapidly.
I played twice the next day, had a lesson on Wednesday, and was playing tournament level on Thursday. My team excelled, oh my goodness…
Out of 21 matches we played that weekend, we won 19 of them. I won 5 out of 6 matches I played. We were the champions in our division, #1, and are headed to sectionals in June.
And I learned a valuable lesson about worrying ahead of time. It wasn’t necessary. I “broke the rules,” per conventional wisdom in many ways, but God’s rules superseded them and gave me the capacity and ability I needed to do well anyway.
I needed this today. I am feeling consumed with worry and fear over a job situation where my abilities are being punished, not rewarded. I fear, yes, fear, that I will have to make a change in employment. I have been searching for a way to frame the issue so I can quiet my mind and pray about it. This is just what I was looking for. Thank you so much, Evan.
Elaine in Virginia
Thank you Evan for this powerfull illustration that Truth is always at the top of It’s game 🙂 – I may have shared this insight before, but a former CS lecturer, Jill Gooding shared this idea in one of her lectures and I’ve never forgotten it: “Worry is ingratitude in advance. It’s believing that God is not in full control, OR will not be in full control as some future time.” You beautifully proved God’s control of you, of your team, of your collective skill and expression. This is a beautiful demonstration of the power of our individual relationship with God, which is secure and omnipresent. Thank you for sharing this unfoldment with us all………stay safe. Lovingly, Leah
I just realized in this week’s lesson, Eddy is urging us to put doubt into the right category. Doubt evil as having any power. Doubt sickness as having any reality. So if doubt every comes up, use it the right way. Appreciate your angels.