The 49ers' Fantasy vs. Reality

The San Francisco 49ers are an intriguing team to follow as we head into the NFL draft and the new season. They have a rich history of winning, with high expectations, yet they are coming off a 5-11 season. They hired Chip Kelly as their new head coach and haven’t fully committed to Colin Kaepernick as their starting quarterback.  Columnist, Tim Kawakami, covers the team and recently wrote an interesting article about the state of the 49ers with this headline: “49ers, Balke Continue to Operate in a Fantasy World.” Tim begins his column for the Mercury News by writing, “You really would've thought that Trent Baalke's team just went 11-5, not 5-11. Measured by the general manager's words, pose and overall mood Wednesday, you would've thought the 49ers were a powerful, perennial playoff team (like they used to be).”   The column goes on to question their offseason decisions while raising concerns about the team facing reality. It states, “And by refusing to acknowledge that they're in deep trouble, the 49ers are only making things worse. But 49ers management has a unique approach to uncomfortable times: If the truth is bothering you, just create a sunnier alternate reality, then act accordingly. And, yes, this is the fantastical mindset that informs just about everything the 49ers have done this offseason.” I’m curious to see if the 49ers are able to turn it around, but this concept of a fantastical mindset is something for us to think about today. Are we honest with ourselves and others about the state of our own lives, or have we created a “sunnier alternate reality” that we have everyone buying into? Do we push aside the pain and trouble that we’re dealing with in order to present ourselves as having it all together? We don't want to admit weakness, so we just tell people everything is good. Are we actually operating in a fantasy world or do we truly have a grip on reality? Because of Jesus, we have hope, and even when our reality on earth is hard, we can continue to have peace and joy as we trust Him. We can admit we’re struggling and acknowledge we’re weak, but at the same time, we put our faith in Him. We don’t have to pretend or create a fantasy world, but we can be honest with ourselves, God, and others. Colossians 3:9 tells us, “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.” Sometimes the truth is hard to admit - especially when we find ourselves in tough situations because of our poor decisions. However, the sooner we surrender all aspects of our lives to Jesus and walk in truth, the sooner we can experience freedom instead of hiding in a fantasy world we’ve created. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times I've created a false reality and I wasn't embracing the truth. Help me to be honest with others, even when I'm struggling, and to trust You in my weakness. My hope is in You, not in this world. Teach me not to lose sight of the reality that You love me and You sent Jesus to save me. I pray this in His name, amen.