Intentionality plus opportunity equals results. 

I remember when I was a young boy in junior high, my dad put up a basketball hoop in our yard. He told me, “You can do anything if you want to bad enough.” He said that most people will not go all out for what they want, so those who do can accomplish far more than they might have thought. 

My dad loved to teach through sports. He thought sports could teach things like tenacity, endurance, willpower, and how to both win and lose with character. I learned a lot by playing sports and listening to my dad teach. After my dad put up the basketball hoop, I began to practice every night. 

“Look the ball all the way into the goal. That will help you follow through,” he said. “Many people shoot at the goal. But you want to intend to make every shot. Intentionality becomes a habit.” I remember a close friend in my adult life saying, “You’ve heard it said that practice makes perfect; but I say, perfect practice makes perfect.” Intentionality. By the way, I made the basketball team that year.

Likewise, the Bible contains many different passages that talk about persevering and “running the race” marked out for us:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life…” - James 1:12 

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?” - 1 Corinthians 9:24 

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” - 2 Timothy 4:7

I’ve prayed for a family member to come into relationship with Christ for almost 30 years. There’s the temptation to give up on that person. The Bible calls it hope deferred. Hope deferred is when you have hoped and prayed for something for a very long time and it doesn’t seem to be happening. 

Similarly, many have prayed for our nation to experience revival for many years. I’m one of them. As we look around and see the chaos our society has descended into, some have become very discouraged. 

Could it be that the thing that looks so devastating right now is the very thing that God will use to turn us around? My dad used to say, “When you get knocked down, get up and go again.” Indeed. When we feel discouraged, or things don’t go as we think they should, get up and go again. 

Roman’s 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” We can’t allow the chaos around us to convince us it’s bigger than our God. It’s not! So get up. Dust off your clothes and go again. Don’t grow weary in doing good.

Read more of Vic's faith columns here.