I am now blessed with three incredible children. As a result, I will not be playing as much golf, but I wouldn't want to. I am so incredibly thankful for the children God has blessed me with, and I want my passion for golf to be replaced for my passion for them to live for Him, and grow in Him.
I feel it is still okay to be competitive. I want to continue to get better, but I know that this will look a lot different now, and that it won't take up as much of my time as it has in the past. I have a tournament this weekend - the Club Championships. By all accounts I feel like I should win it. I feel like I should have won it the last four years, but I haven't. I have not played my best golf. And that's okay. I've learned from my mistakes, and they make me stronger.
The issue I am having is that I am not wanting to lose again. I realize that it is pride and that I must get rid of it for the following reasons....
1. When I care about winning and losing too much, I am making the tournament about my glory rather than God's glory.
2. I shoot myself in the foot because I care too much.
3. I am causing myself stress that is sinful. There are people in the world who are starving. They don't know where their next meal is coming from. That is real stress, and it is disrespectful for me to allow myself to be stressed over a mere golf tournament.
4. The only goal I need to have this week is to glorify God. I can glorify Him win or lose. As long as I glorify Him I win...therefore, I can expect to win in this way, relax, and go out and accept whatever happens in terms of tournament results.
5. Be willing to lose. Not only is this good because it frees you up to play the way you are capable (be willing to run across the green naked), but it is also possible that I can best glorify God through losing, and so if God ordains that, I want to be ready to celebrate that fact, and accomplish His will and purposes well. Seeking to stay in God's will and glorify Him win or lose is very freeing. Being willing to lose is incredibly freeing.
6. Be realistic about my game. It doesn't mean my game can't be better. Right now my game is close. I believe very strongly that I have the potential to get very good. However, I am not yet where I want to be. I have some inconsistencies in my game. Over time I can work them out and get better, but right now my game is what it is. Therefore, I can go out and accept whatever results occur because of the fact that I know I have the potential to do really well, but I also know that I need to be realistic about my physical game at the moment, and it needs some work. And it is okay that it needs some work. If it didn't, that could possibly be a bad thing because it would mean that I have been playing too much when I should be at home with my family.
***Therefore go out this weekend and do my best for the glory of God. Enjoy worshiping Him with my effort, and representing Him well. Be willing to lose, and prepared to glorify Him no matter what the results.
**Expect to win, be willing to lose, glorify God in all of it.
In order to do my best for God's glory, I want to do the following...
1. Expect good things to happen.
2. Be confident, no fear. See what you want to happen, and expect it to happen. Be the player you want to be, and expect your game to follow.
3. Be joyful in your effort, but be joyful as you focus on being determined to achieve your goals.
4. See yourself as the golfer you are capable of being, go out and be that golfer. You have to believe you are better than anyone you ever face, otherwise you shouldn't be competing. If they win, no worries, it doesn't mean they are better than you, it just means they won this time. All of this is fun!
