The Chicago Cubs were the darlings of Major League Baseball when they finally won the World Series back in 2016. With their talented roster and young superstars, many expected them to start a dynasty.
But despite winning 95 games last season, they lost the NL Central tiebreaker, as well as the wild-card game. They went home early from the playoffs, which led to a long off-season for the team.
Jesse Rogers wrote an article on ESPN.com with the headline, “Bring On Spring! After Winter of Discontent, Can Cubs Move On?” He gives this description of where the Cubs have been and what their outlook is for the upcoming season:
“A winter of discontent for the Chicago Cubs has finally given way to a spring of cautious optimism as camp opens for the 2016 World Series champions. That historic title -- coming 108 years after their last one -- feels like a decade ago as the team and organization have taken a bit of a hit in the interim.”
Will an off-season of discontentment lead to a refocused effort and a strong hunger to win again? Will the Cubs be able to overcome their challenges?
Discontent means "dissatisfaction with one’s circumstances" and "displeasure," "restlessness," and "uneasiness" are synonyms for the word.
Although the Cubs lost early in the playoffs and had some turmoil in the off-season, these circumstances have actually motivated them to turn things around. They don’t want to experience that kind of dissatisfaction again, so they have to take the necessary steps toward change.
None of us want to be discontented, but it often leads to a desire to change. Specifically, when we engage in a pattern of sin that may be enjoyable for a while, it ultimately leads to total discontentment.
At this point, we're ready to “Bring on Spring” and move on from this fruitless and empty way of living. Eventually, we desire to embrace a life of being content in Jesus.
When evaluating the sin in our lives, our feelings should be that of displeasure, restlessness, and uneasiness...while pointing us toward repentance. We can then refocus on Jesus and ask Him to give us a strong hunger to overcome our challenges and ultimately find our pleasure in Him.
Psalm 34:18 (AMP) says, "The Lord is near to the heartbroken. And He saves those who are crushed in spirit (contrite in heart, truly sorry for their sin)."
Paul writes to the Corinthian church about holiness and about their sorrow toward sin leading to repentance. He explains in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11(AMP), "For sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow produces death.
"For see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves , what indignation , what fear , what longing , what passion , what readiness to punish !...”
Today, let’s not settle for sin that creates discontentment but let's allow it to lead us toward repentance and change. Let’s be passionate and hungry as we fear God...and rely on Jesus’ grace to lead us to contentment.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray that I would grieve the sin in my life and allow this discontentment to lead to real change as I rest in Your grace, and repent. Thank you for providing me with lasting satisfaction found in Jesus. It’s in His name I pray, Amen.
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