With the Football world cup commencing last weekend, many of us are looking forward to the excitement that comes with the tournament.
Being a sports fan is often a lesson in managing expectations – either high or low. One week your team or favourite player is unbeatable, the next you’re wondering why you ever started supporting them in the first place.
The reality is that sport mirrors life in many ways. Life is filled with highs and lows – the longer we live, the more we realise that life is rarely a straight line upward. It is often a series of mountaintops and valleys.
The wonderful thing about the Christian faith is that God never pretends otherwise. Jesus never promised His followers a life free from difficulties.
In John 16:33, Jesus says the opposite:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”.
I find great comfort in the honesty of those words. Jesus understands the reality of life in a broken world. He knows there will be disappointments, setbacks, heartaches and struggles.
One of the reasons sport can be such an emotional rollercoaster is that we place our hopes in outcomes we can’t control.
But placing our hope in Jesus is different. Unlike our football teams, Jesus never loses. He never changes. He never fails. His victory has been secured through His death and resurrection
Yours in Christ,
Kieran, Member of W10, Parish Council member, and mad-keen Southampton Supporter.
