READ: 1 Peter 4:12-19
George Bernard Shaw once said, “England and America are two countries separated by a common language.” An example from the world of sports demonstrates his point.
As a lifelong baseball fan, I’m familiar with the term curveball. It’s a ball thrown by the pitcher in such a way that it changes direction, fooling the opponent. In cricket, the strategy is similar but the word is very different. The bowler (pitcher) tries to overcome the batsman by “bowling a googley” (pitching a curveball).
Though games and cultures differ, the concept of the curveball portrays a reality familiar in any language. Life is full of times when we are unsuspectingly “bowled a googley,” and we find ourselves overwhelmed. In those moments of fear and confusion, it’s comforting to know we have a God who is sufficient for any challenge.
Trials are to be expected (1 Peter 4:12). Yet we may well be shocked by the circumstances facing us. But God is never surprised! He permits our trials, and He can enable us to respond to them in a way that honors Him.
When we suffer, we must “commit [our] souls to Him in doing good,” wrote Peter (v.19). In God’s strength, we can face life’s most troublesome curveballs.
For Further Study
Read Navigating The Storms Of Life on the Web at
www.discoveryseries.org/hp061
