Showing posts with label frustration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frustration. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

He blamed God for dropping the ball

When is God good?

Steve Johnson, a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills has had a remarkable career this year. Not many people know him nationally. He was a seventh round pick, a nobody. Then, suddenly this season he makes 59 catches and scores 796 yards. He's doing great.

To what has he attributed his sudden success?

Apparently he thought he had a good luck charm. Somebody told him "as the praises go up the blessings come down." So, he started praising God continuously. It seemed to work for him and his season miraculously turned around. Then in week 12, Johnson dropped five passes in the Bills' loss to the Steelers, including a pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick that would've won the game for Buffalo in overtime.

Johnson was devastated. He blamed God! His good luck charm failed. He pulled out his phone and agrily typed in the following tweet to God:

"I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO..."

While Johnson's tweet raises eyebrows, there are millions like him, who really believe that simply praising God will mean health, wealth and success. They learn a few bible verses, attend worships looking for a magic "word"- that will immediately insulate them from trouble and guarantee success. When their lucky method doesn't work, they get angry with God!

In reality, we should give thanks to God for every situation because if God allows it to happen, it is what He wants for us, even if we don't understand. So we give thanks, anyway!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 puts it this way, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Steve Johnson forgot about the 59 catches and 796 yards prior to week 12. He forgot all of the blessings that God has given him. Obviously, God is working a great work for him, even a blind man could see that! Everyone except Steve Johnson.

What he forgot in his rage is that God is still good, even when he throws a perfect pass into our hands and we drop them ball.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

President's gutter language raised eyebrows

Gutter talk sounds odd coming from the "cool" President, but

It made all of the headlines yesterday when President Obama used gutter colloquialisms to express his frustration with the oil spill in the gulf coast. It's a documented fact that many of the president of the 20th century used very rough language in private conversations with their staff members, but it's rarely spoken in pubic, and definitely not part of formal presidential interviews in front of T.V. Cameras.

But the videos made it undeniable. Obama said, ""I don't sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick."

It's now official. The nation's leader has given his endorsement to "a--" kicking, at least metaphorically. Instantly YouTube videos appeared, cartoons were generated, editorial columns were written and school children watching news channels in a thousand classrooms were wowed!

Earlier, this year, the vice-president spoke with his microphone open and whispered in the President's ear at a news conference "this is a big fu--king deal" after the passage of the health care bill. It too was widely reported; at least it was whispered and not official.

Once the president and the vice-president are seen in public using gutter language it won't be long before the public is desensitized and it becomes common place.

Obviously the President is frustrated over the BP oil spill; yet even in frustration restraint is required.

There is a bible passage that reflects this dilemma: "Isaiah 8:21 "Frustrated and famished, they try one thing after another. When nothing works out they get angry, cursing first this god and then that one, Looking this way and that,"

When we get upset and curse it shows frustration but doesn't solve problems.

There is an old saying, "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."

Hopefully, we've heard our last bit of gutter talk from the President. If he continues, the public could very well get angry and start looking for "whose a-- to kick."