Fall 2024

Sports Spectrum Daily Devotional - Tuesday, November 21, 2017

“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. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:28-29)

Patience Pays

The road to becoming World Series champions was not easy or short for the Houston Astros. From 2011 to 2013, the Astros posted a record of 162-324. In those three seasons, they won exactly one out of every three games they played. While it’s never fun to lose, the Astros had a plan and stuck with it, even when the results weren’t there at the beginning. It was because of those years they struggled that they were able to acquire players like George Springer (11th overall in 2011), Carlos Correa (1st overall in 2012), and Alex Bregman (2nd overall in 2015) through the MLB draft. Flash forward to 2017, and all three players were key contributors on this year’s team. 

When Jeff Luhnow was hired as the Astros’ general manager in December 2011, he knew it was going to take time to rebuild the team into a contender. He was patient and always remained committed to his vision for the Astros organization. We can learn a great lesson away from the approach the Astros took in constructing this team. There are going to be times in our walk with Christ when we pray about something and don’t get a response right away. Sometimes, we might feel like God isn’t listening or doesn’t care.

Nothing could be further from the truth! Just because we don’t get a response right away doesn’t mean that one isn’t coming in the future. It might not be the response we want, but God will be listening and guiding us through every step of our lives. We need to remember that we are working on God’s schedule, not ours. By staying in conversation with God and being patient, we can figure out what His will is for us.

Joshua Doering

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