Dear Grandchildren:

As you all know, your grandpa and his parents are very competitive. We like our games and we like winning even more. Great Grandma and I play cards or games every time we get together. When my father was alive and we’d get together, we played golf, horseshoes, pool, or cribbage. When you’re winning, it’s easy to smile and be positive but when you’re losing, it takes more effort to smile and have that winning attitude.

Life is a lot like playing games. It’s easy to have a good attitude and pursue your goals as long as everything is going your way. That doesn’t take a lot of faith. But what about the difficult times when you have a setback, or a relationship doesn’t work out, or someone does you wrong?

It’s easy to lose your passion when you’re hurting. It’s easy to lose you enthusiasm when you’ve had a setback. Many people are sitting on the sidelines of life because they’re injured or discouraged. They’re nursing their wounds and not moving forward because of what they’ve been through.

You may have a reason to feel sorry for yourself, but how you proceed in life will determine the outcome. In golf for example, a bad shot can lead to a bad hole, then to a bad round, then to a bad attitude, and finally a bad day. 

One of the hardest things to do in a game or in life is to shake off discouragements and get back in the game. We all have circumstances to overcome. We all have wounds— so to speak—that will cause us to want to sit on the sidelines. Sometimes in life, you have to go on with some pain. Somehow you learn to deal with it if you want to be successful.

If you’re to become all God created you to be, you can’t let an injury or disappointment cause you to sit on the sidelines. It’s your choice to get back up and let go of what didn’t work out and get back in the game.

That’s the kind of people God rewards. Faithful people. People who are determined. People who get knocked down but don’t stay down. Instead, they get back up again. You can’t let the hurt, the pain, or the bad break cause you to be negative, bitter, or passionless. It’s your choice to get back in the game of life.

No matter what life sends your way, your attitude should be: I’m hurting but I’m still in the game of life. A friend did me wrong, but I’m still in the game. Business is slow, but I’m still in the game. I don’t feel very positive today, but I’m still in the game.

Yes, you need to make up your mind to stay in the game! No matter what! 

Anybody can sit on the sidelines. Anybody can find an excuse to be sour, to drop out, or to give up in life. I’m asking you to stay in the game.

One of the best things you can do when you’re hurting is to go out and help somebody else who’s hurting. Get your mind off your problems and your pain by helping somebody else who’s in need.

I want to make a point regarding playing games and comparing them to living your life. The wordcompetition can be involved with both. The key in both—especially in life— is to strive to do your best and not necessarily try to be the best. Let me explain further by using a golf example.

In golf, your focus should be to obtain a par on a given hole. So my focus here is to realize that I’m really playing against the golf course. The other player has nothing to do with my goal of obtaining a par. If my focus is on his game and what he is doing then my focus is wrong.

My focus should be on doing my best whether the other person beats me or not. 

What am I saying? God has given you gifts for your divine destiny. He is concerned how you use the gifts that He has given you, not whether you’re better than someone else.

It’s like the widow who gave the two little coins in Luke 21:3. Jesus told his disciples that this woman gave more than anyone else. More than everyone else! How could this be? Because God never judges by comparing. Whether it’s your abilities or your money, He is interested in how you use what He has given you.

Yes, I still want to win when I play games— that will never change. But, especially in life, I want you to remember this point: it’s more important being a winner in God’s eyes by giving it your all and being a blessing in the process. And no matter what, you stayed in the game.

So until next month, 

Love, Grandpa