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Family Disasters

Clay Elliott

SET:

I grew up with three brothers, and the four of us seemed to battle daily, especially when we played together. We fought so often that we made rules on how to fight. And when we broke those rules, the fighting escalated even more. My poor mom.

The verse above proves that God understands the fighting that takes place within families—and He uses it to teach us.

As an athlete, you might have some teammates who rub you the wrong way. These teammates might think they are better than you. They might break team rules and don’t care. They might even cause you to work harder because the coach seems to punish the entire team for their mistakes.

In the context of 2 Samuel 12:11, God speaks to David because he really messed up. David killed a man, took the man’s wife as his own, and slept with her. David deserved to be punished, to experience the disaster God warned him about. But God can bring about good in any bad situation. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.”

The next time you face family—or team—disaster, use that time as a learning experience to change your heart, your methods, your ideas, and even your philosophy! God is orchestrating, and you should be playing in rhythm as He leads!

GO:

1. Which teammates do you have issues with? Why?

2. What changes can you make to reduce the disasters?

WORKOUT:

Romans 8:31–32

Proverbs 11:14

Job 42:1–5

OVERTIME:

"Father, when disaster comes my way, give me eyes to see what You intend for me to learn from it. May I bring You glory in the midst of it all. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen."