Jason Day - The Overcomer

This past weekend the world’s number 1 golfer, Jason Day, tied the course record at TPC Sawgrass, led wire-to-wire, and kept at least a 2-shot lead in the final round to win The Players’ Championship. He earned his 7th tournament win in his last 17 starts. As I listened to the announcers during the tournament’s ending, they described the win and Day’s story using the word “overcomer.” Although Day has secured the number 1 ranking in golf, his journey to get there has been extremely challenging. Growing up poor, Day’s first golf club was a 3-wood that his father grabbed from the town dump. His dad died when he was 11, resulting in problems as a teen, and when Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in 2014, he lost eight other family members, including his grandmother. Day has also battled back injuries and health problems, even playing through vertigo. Despite all of these difficulties, Day is an overcomer with a supportive family of his own who is now sitting on top of the golf world. My guess is, we can relate to Day’s background and challenges in some way. Life is filled with unfortunate situations that can easily derail us. All too often we use the hurt we’ve encountered as an excuse to give up either on ourselves or God. We view our problems as hindrances instead of opportunities to become overcomers. I believe our best chance to be an overcomer is to follow Jesus. Through His strength, we can view struggles with hope and rely on His peace through heartache. John 16:33 says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Christ defeated sin and death when He died on the cross and rose again. If He lives in us and we follow Him, we too have the power that raised Jesus from the grave. As we begin the week, let's trust and not be afraid, even if troubles arise. Let’s truly live in victory...and as overcomers! I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to overcome the world. Thank you that through Him, I have salvation and I am an overcomer. Please help me to view problems as opportunities to see You work in me, and please give me the strength to overcome them for Your glory. Please help me to trust and not be afraid. I praise You for Your faithfulness. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.