What a phenomenal weekend in college basketball as the Elite 8 gave us one awesome game right after another!
While Auburn and Michigan State pulled off tight wins and Texas Tech totally surprised us as a Final Four team, Virginia’s tournament run of redemption is what will be talked about all week long.
Bouncing back from their first-round upset loss to a 16 seed last year, to making it all the way to the Final Four this year, is certainly worthy of unpacking today. Specifically, though, I'd like to unpack this powerful comment made by Head Coach, Tony Bennett:
“Going through what we did, losing and all those things, I told the team it created a fire in me that wanted to become a better coach and pursue trying to get these guys to as far as they can, a Final Four, the national championship. "It’s burning hot, but it did something I think maybe as significant or greater. It made me realize that if that never does happen, I’ll still be OK. Because I’ve been blessed beyond what I deserve. And I think it’s freed me up to go after this as hard as I can, as hard as we can.
“Would I love to be a son and father who coached in a Final Four? be great. But if it doesn’t happen, you have to say, ‘Hey, you are going to be OK.’ And that’s what I learned. And that’s invaluable. So I’m at peace, but I’m very hungry.”
I’m so happy for Bennett and appreciate his continuous humility and the stance he takes for his faith. His comment, “...if that never does happen, I’ll still be OK” especially stands out to me because when we get to a place where being okay isn’t based on things going our way, we can finally live with peace, contentment, and satisfaction.
We can all relate to having our own "Final Four" dream - whether it's a burning passion to have a job promotion or to get married or to have a baby or to be healed. While we wait to receive it, we can easily get upset, frustrated, discouraged, or angry.
However, what if we got to the point of being able to say this is what I want and hope for, but “if that never does happen, I’ll still be OK?”
Ultimately, we can truly believe that when our peace and contentment come from Jesus, we remain okay regardless of our circumstances.
Paul encourages us in 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (AMP): "Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace at all times and in every way . The Lord be with you all.”
To take it a step further, there's also a story in Daniel 3:17-18 (AMP) that can be an inspirational parallel for us today. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego gave this response before they were thrown into a fire for not bowing down to idols:
"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up!”
The truth is, God is able and God can answer our prayers. But even if things turn out differently than we hope, let’s be challenged to remain faithful and filled with peace because in Jesus we are always going to be okay either way.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray I’d get to the point where I’m okay and at peace - even if I don’t receive what I want or accomplish all of my dreams. Help me to rest in Jesus and praise You regardless of my circumstances. It’s in Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
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