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“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” — Romans 8:28
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I was sitting in the locker room in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after my fifth bad outing in a row. My ERA had skyrocketed. The season felt lost. And I had no answers. No strength left to give. Physically, I was drained. Emotionally, I was crushed — it felt like my dream was slipping through my fingers. And spiritually, I was as dry as the Albuquerque air.
As an athlete, I believed it was on me to figure it out. It was my job, my livelihood, my identity. I told myself: It’s up to me — my strength, my power, my knowledge. But even as I whispered those words in my mind, I knew deep down I had reached the end of my rope. The lie kept playing on loop: I can fix this if I just try harder. I have what it takes. If I work more, show up earlier, stay later — I can turn it around.
That lie is familiar to a lot of us, isn’t it?
We may trust God in certain parts of life, but when it comes to our sport, we often take back control. We treat God like a cosmic tag-team partner — ready to step in only when we can’t handle things anymore. But that’s not how God works. He’s not waiting on the sideline for your signal. He is always present. The problem isn’t His absence; it’s our awareness.
At the time, it felt like failure. But now, I see something different. Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard says, “Life can only be lived in the moment, but it can only be understood backward.” It wasn’t until nearly a decade later that I truly saw what God had been doing.
In sport — and in faith — one of the hardest things to do is stop making excuses and face the truth about where you are. Not to shame yourself, but to invite growth. To ask: What might God be trying to show me through this?
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Notice, the author Paul doesn’t say all things are good. He doesn’t promise a smooth career or easy life. And he certainly doesn’t say we get to choose the timeline of that goodness. He says God is always working — for our good and His glory.
That means God works in your wins and your losses. In joy and pain. In promotions and demotions. He stands behind you not just to catch your fall, but to redeem your story. And here’s the paradox: Running out of yourself isn’t failure — it’s freedom. When you stop striving to prove you are enough, you can finally rest in the One who is enough.
So step out knowing God has gone before you, walks beside you, and stands behind you. You don’t compete alone, and you never have. Because when you feel like you’ve reached the end of yourself, that’s where you’ll find Him — and He is just getting started.
— Josh Lindblom, Pro Athletes Outreach
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