Lessons from the Greatest Sports Movie Ever

I wouldn't exactly say I have writer's block. Well since I don't think I'm an actual writer, I should say, "I wouldn't exactly say I have faux-writer's block." (Yes, faux is in.) I have plenty of thoughts and ideas in my head. Plenty of things to say. None of them feel right at the moment and I can't seem to finish them. So I decided to flip through an issue of Shape magazine in hopes of being inspired.

As I puruse the pages of exercises I will never do and recipes I will never make, it occurs to me that my problem may be my feelings rather than my thoughts. Feelings of inadequacy that is. Who am I to write a blog? The entire notion of a blog stems on the idea that somone cares about what is in your head. Does anyone actually care about my thoughts? I cannot be that interesting or provide any information of significance.

Aww, the inner voices of doubt. Its power cripples even the most competent of individuals. A 2011 Forbes article discusses the self-doubt exhibited by many entrepreneurs. "On occassion our projected self is challenged by reality. Because entrepreneurs spend so much time projecting self confidence, pangs of self-doubt can be devistating", the author writes. Can you imagine someone who has all the nerve in the world to start a business, who lays all his ambitions on the line, may actually experience doubt and self-confidence issues? So aparantly this isn't an all or nothing sitatution. You can be confident and expericence feelings of inadequacy at the same time.

I Am Not Alone

If Americans love a good underdog story, our Christian faith is full of them. Gideon was just a simple farmer and the youngest in the family. God asked him to save the Isrealites from the Midianites. His response is understandable. A "who me?! Why?" My bible commentary makes an excellent point in regards to this section. Telling God we aren't good enough or capable enough to complete the task means we assume God doesn't know us and has made a mistake in judging us. How foolish of us!

 
Let me also reference the greatest sports movie ever made, "Hoosiers." This is not opinion; it is a largely accepted fact.  It is based on a true story of Milan, IN. A very small school who went to Indianapolis and beat the large school for the state championship. This is quitessential Indiana basketball, folks. In this real life saga, you better believe the kids had doubts in their abilities to compete on the large stage.While their skills were adequate to meet the task, they didn't believe it. They needed the one who knew it was in them to help-their coach. The story is now Indiana legend. A feat that inspires many kids to achieve the same greatness.

Is it Okay to Feel this Way?

Perhaps you don't need to feel like a champion of the world before you leap into it. And you may very well be inadequate as an individual to complete the task. Or maybe what you percieve to be your weakness and inadequacies would not cause the entire thing to crumble. Either way, you don't need to be confident and cool before you walk towards what God is asking you to do. You should already know that you can't do it alone anyway. "For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord," Romans 14:7-8.

The confidence will come when your labor of faith produces its outcome. I have seen this several times when people first embark on new weight loss efforts. They have done it before with bad results. It only takes the first pound lost to build that confidence and melt away the doubt.

Besides, what is the phrase? Fake it till you make it!

Today's Verse: "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the workfor the service of the temple of the Lord is finished," 1 Chronicles 28:20.