“Then the word of the Lord came to me: ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done?’ declares the Lord. ‘Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.’” Jeremiah 18:5-6
“I just know I am playing for a greater purpose. This sport teaches you humility and patience in all different aspects. There are times when you are praised and you are the hottest thing going—and then things turn, and people are trying to bring you down. You just have to know that God is in control of everything, and you are playing for Him…” – Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
I often approach my passions with a mindset of: What can I get out of this? How much juice can I squeeze from the lemon? Rarely do I step back and think about how the things I am passionate about might be tools that God is using to mold and shape me into the person He wants me to become.
In Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton’s quote, he talks about how football teaches him humility and patience in all kinds of ways. His quote seems to imply that he believes God uses football to mold him and shape him.
Today, I am reminded to be more aware of how God is using the different passions I have in this life to shape me. It is really quite tiring to try and get something out of everything in life. Rather, He is the Potter and I am the clay. And as He shapes me, He might use all sorts of tools for my benefit, in His grace, so that I can become a better, more stable person, so that I can realize more and more what it means to be His child.
By Stephen Copeland
This devotional was taken from Sports Spectrum’s latest Training Table, a 13-week devotional published in each print issue. Log in HERE to view the Winter 2016 print issue of Sports Spectrum or access the Winter 2016 Training Table.
