My senior year I was part of an extremely successful team. We finished third in the state, and were close to being #1. Only two of our top ten players graduated, and the majority of our top ten were freshmen and sophomores. Yet, despite all that talent, the next year the team not only didn’t contend for a state title, they were at the bottom of the conference. I couldn’t understand what had happened until I went back for a practice. The team captain, who had only been 9th or 10th best the previous season so desired to be the star that many of the promising young players quit. The captain even ran off an all-conference player simply because that guy had looked at his girlfriend the wrong way. The captain got to be the team’s star, but it was the worst team the school had fielded in 30 years! Sometimes we need to stop being the star and start relying on others. This is especially true when it comes to relying upon God.
Many of us are so desperate to prove how good we are that we reject any sort of help. I think this is even worse for us men. We’ve been sold this image of the independent “manly man” who never needs any type of help. I think this is part of why 90% or more of participants of prayer groups I’ve seen are women. We need to stop being the star on the playing field, with our car, in our job, or with directions, we seem to think we don’t even need God’s help. Yet, the reality is, there doesn’t exist a man who can be truly successful in life without God’s constant help.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:26-28
We’re told here that the Holy Spirit is with us to help us in our weaknesses (which we all have), and that God is waiting for us to ask for what we need. Then in verse 28 we’re told that God will make all things good when we are willing to follow His lead in love. Read verse 28 again. When do “all things work together for good?” It’s not when we work really hard or do everything with our own mind or our own hands. Its when we trust God in love. Stop being the star of your life. Stop trying to do it all on your own, but rather trust in God to help lead you towards the good.
