Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

GOLF

The title of the book caught my eye. I read a section about two college golfers playing with Dr. Rotella, the author, and Tom Kite, a professional golfer. Afterwards the two young men asked a profound question. Their scores that day were within a few shots of Tom’s, yet he was the all-time leading money winner and they were number three and four golfers at their college. (Read the whole story in Dr. Rotella’s book) They wanted to know why.

Here’s the summary of Dr. Rotella’s and Tom Kite’s response: The professional golfer will not indulge in negative self-talk that will cause him to lose concentration and confidence. He will accept a bad shot/hole and move on without letting it distract him.

I’ve accompanied people as they have played golf and seen this truth at work. Some golfers don’t let bad shots get them down. They continue to enjoy the game and play well even if they have a terrible shot/hole. Others focus on a bad shot (or hole), berate themselves, and their game goes downhill afterward.

LIFE

We have the same choice in our walk with Jesus. We sin. Let’s just admit that right up front. But what choice do we make when that happens? Hopefully we quickly ask God to forgive us. But once we have asked for forgiveness we have yet another choice to make. What is that choice? Will we be “professional” and walk in victory? Or will we walk in mediocrity?

Mediocrity: Will we continue to walk in guilt, beat ourselves up and live in negative self-talk? “How could I have been so stupid! I know better than to___________. I should have learned by now not to________________. I am such a __________.” You fill in the blanks. Boing! Error. Try again.

Sadly, for most of my life this is the choice I lived in. Indeed, I didn’t even realize I had a choice for way too long. But, all it did was cause me to lose my focus and my confidence. It distracted me so that instead of getting stronger in my faith I stumbled around. It’s hard to hear God’s voice when you are so busy beating yourself up. So prayer times became lifeless, until I got over the guilt of the latest sin.

Victory: Will we accept God’s forgiveness, forgive ourselves, let it not distract us, and move on? DING! DING! DING! You have answered correctly. This choice results in:

peace
renewed thankfulness and praise to God, to Jesus
renewed focus on the things of God
renewed life in your prayer and worship time
renewed ability to hear from God in the Bible and in prayer times
renewed energy/zest for life
maybe even all the fruit of the Spirit? (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control.)

God finally convinced me of this truth that is clearly stated over and over in the Bible. We stand forgiven in God’s eyes as soon as we ask for forgiveness. It is not hypocritical for us to take Him at His word. And He says, “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9. In fact, if we continue to beat ourselves up we deny the power of Jesus’ death on the cross to take away our sin.

Let’s choose together to believe God forgives us when we ask. Then let’s forgive ourselves and move forward in our faith without distraction. Anyone for a victory lap?