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Safe Spaces
It his only human to struggle with bouts of depression and feeling as though we are not getting the support we need to be successful. As athletes this can manifest itself in numerous ways. An injury which sidelines a player often brings moments of frustration as the player is both unable to play and might watch others get their opportunity to excel.
Being a player on a team where others are not digging as deep and working as hard for team success often leads to questioning why a player should continue putting forth the effort when others are not. Not being able to meet the standards set forth by the coach and continuing to make mistakes which result in limited or no playing time might cause a player to become troubled.
Moses had a dark wilderness period of his own several times over the course of his long life. God had tasked him with leading Israel out of Egypt and to the Promised Land, a job Moses did not want, yet God insisted. Again and again he’d do as God told him, only to face opposition, complaint, and rejection from his people, who were dissatisfied and scared.
At one point, after the people railed against him in the desert, Moses cried to the Lord, “I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me — if I have found favor in your eyes — and do not let me face my own ruin” (Numbers 11:14-15)
The bible is filled with examples of where kings and the poor alike called upon God as they suffered through difficult situations. What is consistent is whether it was Moses, King David, Job or others they all brought their circumstances to God. They did not turn to worldly solutions or believe they were sufficient to solve or alleviate the problem. Instead, they recognized the power of God and sought comfort in his understanding.
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10
In the end, the Lord is the ultimate "safe space" and where we should turn when needing comfort and support through difficult times. When we feel down or not up to the task we should direct our attention to Him for he is the strong tower and fortress where we can beat back the fear and anxiety which are the instruments of the enemy.
We should all take comfort in knowing there is no problem we have or situation that we will face that is greater than our God.
