For those who may not know me well, I am a rabid Alabama football fan. Saturdays are sacred at our house. Our family usually spends time together in the morning and early afternoon then when the Tide starts, our world “stands still” for 3.5 hours…or 4 if the game is on CBS.
This seems to be a tradition since my early childhood. I have vivid memories of family and friends crowding around our LD TV to watch the big game. And, God forbid should the Tide go down in defeat, the house became eerily silent...almost like mourning a death. Sure there were the screams, the outbursts, the conniptions during the game, but when the game was over and the sting of loss was a reality, we became these Crimson Tide Zombies wandering around cloaked in stunned disbelief.
During our championship run last year, these emotions were few and far between. However, after suffering two difficult defeats this year, those emotions from long ago reared their ugly head again.
I have discovered something about myself- I get way too emotionally involved and frustrated over football. So, this coming Friday, I’m going to do something I’ve never done-NOT watch Alabama football.
You heard me correctly, I am not going to watch the biggest game of the year. I will not watch the Alabama/ Auburn game because I know if I do, I will go NUTS pulling for a team to win a simple game. So instead, I and my two boys will spend the afternoon together, maybe go to a movie, maybe do a little Christmas shopping, maybe catch The Andy Griffith Show Marathon, who knows. But I know this- I am tired of being convicted about my overwhelming lack of patience when it comes to Crimson Tide Football.
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20
This will say that my wife, Anna, has posted the comment, but it is actually me, Jeffrey, her husband. I have also been struggling with my football idolatry, and so tonight, finding that I had failed yet again to have Spirit-wrough self-control, and becoming, by degrees, more angry and depressed at the conclusion of the iron bowl, and knowing in the core of my being that this was sinful, but also feeling helpless against it, I prayed and searched for "football idolatry" on google and found, among other sites, your blog. What an encouragement to know that others are struggling as I have and am, and what an enouragement and challenge to see your solution, or rather, part of the solution, to the problem. I am going to seriously pray about planning other activities during games as one weapon in my arsenal against football idolatry. Thanks so much for the post--reading it and writing this has really brought me down--or up--as the case may be. I will pray for your work in Springville--read a few other posts on here as well obviously. It's really crazy how we so easily attack "getting drunk," whether literally or on any number of worldly things, but then we'll "get drunk" on sports without batting an eyelash. Depravity is sneakier than I had given it credit for. As is the enemy.
ReplyDeleteIn grace alone,
Jeffrey