Devotions Leadership

What baseball teaches us about life’s setbacks

February 16, 2022

Failure isn’t fatal. Fail forward. These are phrases we have heard to remind us that everybody experiences setbacks and mistakes. Today let’s discuss how personal setbacks can either stop us or be stepping stones to move higher.

Babe Ruth baseball legend stated: “Never let the fear of striking out get in the way”. Baseball is the most amazing game because even professional players only hit the ball a small percentage of the time. In other words they fail to get on base or make a run every single game and yet they still keep playing! I wonder how much it would change our attitude about life if we approached it from a baseball perspective.

Most of us stop playing a musical instrument when we make too many mistakes. We stop trying for a promotion because we failed to get one or two. We may never want to remarry because we had a divorce. We may choose not to believe in people because we were once stabbed in the back.

One failure or mistake isn’t the reason to stop. It merely is a lesson to learn from or perhaps not to repeat. Or it may be just a lesson of life that things don’t always work out the first time. Maybe you tried to diet and failed. Try again. Maybe you intend to exercise but miss several days so you give up. You will never be perfect in anything you try. The key is to never stop playing the game of life.

Behind every successful person is a history of failed attempts. Even Abraham Lincoln experienced numerous failures as he ran for political office. Success is rarely overnight.

Remember, even if you have failed to achieve every goal- you are not a failure, you are human. Pick yourself up again and continue to live and venture and explore. There’s still more for you to do! God believes in you and will help you continue to achieve your goals. But you and I must believe that God will equip us with what we need to accomplish what He has called us to do in spite of our mistakes.

“For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty. Philippians 4:13 The Passion Translation  

Training requires effort and attitude. Are we trained in the secret of overcoming all things with the strength of Christ living in us? He infuses our spirits with explosive power to conquer. Our greatest difficulties may be in our minds with how we see ourselves rather than outside us.

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