Sunday at the Masters is always one of the best days in sports as fans get to follow a leaderboard filled with the greatest golfers in the world.
Among this year's greats (Spieth, McIlroy, Rahm, Fowler, Watson, and Johnson), Patrick Reed was the golfer who confidently held onto the lead throughout the weekend. Birdie after birdie he separated himself from the rest and went on to secure the prestigious Green Jacket.
Heading into Sunday, the attention was focused on Reed and Rory McIlroy as the final pairing and favorites to win. Conversations centered on which of the two had more pressure placed on them to win.
It was intriguing to hear about the mental battle between Reed and McIlroy with each one deflecting the pressure onto the other person before the final round began.
McIlroy wanted Reed to feel the heat because of his 3-shot lead and the need to protect it, and actually said about Reed, "All the pressure is on him tomorrow."
Reed, on the other hand, deflected it back to Rory by saying he was going for the career Grand Slam and the pressure was on him to accomplish that feat.
Each of them appeared to intentionally and strategically deflect the pressure onto the other, and we can assume it was to ultimately help them personally play with more freedom and clearer thinking...believing the pressure was on someone else.
Although it's hard to say who had the most pressure to win, we do know that McIlroy fell back yesterday, shooting +2 in the final round, and Reed ultimately rose above the pressure to snag this year's Green Jacket.
The concept of “deflecting the pressure” is something we can incorporate into our own lives as we seek God. Each of us is up against our own pressures, stresses, worries, and challenges. As the intensity rises, we can feel the unbearable weight to perform in our jobs or to handle burdens we face with family and friends.
Thankfully, as followers of Jesus we don't have to deal with it all in our own strength, but can “deflect the pressure” onto Him. He wants to take it from us, so we find freedom and have clearer thinking.
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) says, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”
God provides us power and strength, so there's no need to fight life's pressures alone. Instead, we're told to “Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail)" (Psalm 55:22 - AMP).
Today, as we experience the mounting pressures of life and feel worn out from trying to figure out what to do, let’s pause, release, and trust. Jesus isn't asking us to perform or do more, but instead, He wants us to rest in Him and His finished work on the cross.
We can confidently “deflect the pressure” by embracing His words in Matthew 11:28 (AMP):
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened , and I will give you rest ."
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess I’ve been trying to carry my burdens, but please show me how to release them to You. I no longer want to feel the pressure and the weight, so help me deflect them onto You. Thank you for Your willingness to sustain and strengthen me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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