Be what God intended you to be

Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Roger Clemens - what first comes to mind when you think of these baseball players? If you have followed sports at all in the past months and years, you probably think less about these players' athletic success and more about their steroid allegations, allegations that are becoming rampant in sports, particularly baseball.

Now, before you stop reading, thinking this is another one of my rants about steroids, hold on. I have been reading a book by one of my favorite Christian authors, Ravi Zacharias, called "Cries of the Heart," which explores the inner feeling of emptiness that even strong Christians can feel throughout life. The book gives Christians the tools to overcome this emptiness and bring God closer when He feels so far away.

Bear with me as I connect these two vastly different topics. In reading "Cries of the Heart," I came across a portion that really spoke to me that I think has powerful implications for all people. Zacharias was exploring some reasons for the emptiness that many feel, and he offers one diagnostic test:

"...we must ask what indisciplines (the absence or lack of discipline) we brought into our relationship with God. This is often at the heart of much that leaves us restless and uncertain, because in a subtle way the distance we feel is not so much that God is so far away as much as it is that we are so far from where we could be. Indiscipline breeds surrender to the lesser and defeat in the face of opportunity. One of the most painful realities I have found in traveling around the globe is the epidemic proportions of indiscipline. Whether it is in our studies or in our habits, we seem to always find the line of least resistance and then blame God when we fail in our commitment to come to Him on His terms...If we fail in the exercise of trust through hard times, why do we expect the rewards of faith?"

That certainly got me thinking of where I am compared to where I should be. So many baseball players, Christians and people in general, myself included try to get by the way we want or the easy way and then when the consequences come, we are so quick to blame others or even God. As I was reading this last night, I was immediately convicted. Earlier this morning I was watching ESPN and saw the latest news about Roger Clemens speaking up again in denial of his steroid use (in his defense, he has not been proved guilty yet, but the lesson remains the same). The steroid discussion in general has got me thinking about why people cannot just accept their God-given talents the way they are, without illegally enhancing themselves.

Do you ever put effort into presenting yourself as someone that you are not? Do you ever try to take the easy way out or do something the wrong way hoping that you will not get caught while reaping easy rewards? God has created each and every one of us and He does not make any mistakes.

Instead of trying to achieve success by trying to be someone that you are not or by blaming others or God on your failures, pray to God and consider what He has in store for you. It may not be what you want right away, but rest assured, God knows what He's doing, and I would much rather rely on His will than my own.

I leave you with a final commandment and encouragement from possibly my favorite passage of Scripture, Joshua 1:8-9: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (NIV - emphasis added)