NFL teams have been participating in voluntary official team activities (OTAs) and minicamps as players prepare for the upcoming season.
With every player deciding how involved they want to be in each practice, and some players choosing not to attend the OTAs or even mandatory minicamps, people often ask why they’re not showing up. When their presence isn’t felt at the team facility, it causes people to ask…where is he? Across the NFL, we can ask (or previously asked) about these players: Where is CeeDee Lamb? Where is Tee Higgins? Where is Ja'Marr Chase? Where is Lamar Jackson? Where is Justin Jefferson? These top players have their reasoning for why they aren’t at their team’s OTAs, and even though it doesn’t make sense for us as fans, they’ve already proven to be great, so we can trust they know what they’re doing and ultimately, have a purpose for their decision. These players are likely working out behind the scenes and will show up in big ways once the season begins. Their perspective is broader as they focus on the long season ahead, contract extensions, and all aspects of their careers. Although paralleling wealthy NFL players who choose to skip practice may not be ideally on point, I hope we can all be encouraged by what’s unpacked today. The world we live in is very broken and evil, with tragedy all around us. So much news we hear worldwide is devastating, frightening, and heartbreaking. We’re filled with many questions when awful things happen, including where God is. Why isn't He showing up? These questions are also asked when it comes to our own lives and those around us. When things don’t make sense and evil runs rampant, we question why God doesn’t intervene the way we want Him to and why He doesn’t stop something from happening. When we can’t feel His presence, we ask, where is He? The reality is that we live in a temporary world filled with sin where people have the freedom to choose God or evil. The Bible tells us in 1 John 5:19 (NLT), “We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.” In these awful circumstances, we must cling to the truth of who God is and that He is good, loving, and just. As followers of Jesus, He is always with us, so we can put our hope and faith in Him during the pain and confusion and remember to keep an eternal perspective. He’s already proven to be good, great, and loving, so we can trust that He knows what He’s doing and His eternal purposes are still being accomplished. Even when it appears evil is temporarily winning, He's working behind the scenes and will show up in ways that put His glory, power, and comfort on full display. After all, we see this with the Son of God. Right before Jesus died on the cross, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). But as we know, God had a bigger plan that was being revealed and fulfilled through Jesus’ death and ultimate resurrection. The same God who redeemed the cross redeems our pain and fills us with victorious hope. 1 John 5:4-5 (AMP) tells us, “For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our faith. Who is the One who is victorious and overcomes the world? It is the One who believes and recognizes the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.” Today, we must know that God doesn’t cause evil, yet He is sovereign over all, and we don’t always understand why He allows certain things to happen. So, when we begin to ask, where is God, we must remind ourselves of the promise found in Romans 8:28 (AMP): “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.” And as we continue to live on this side of eternity following Jesus and relying on Him through confusing challenges and tragedies, we can boldly say, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort and console me” (Psalm 23:4; AMP). I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray that the tragedies personally and in the world draw us to You. Help us to see Your glory and power shine through as we persevere and heal. Please comfort us and give us strength. Fill us with hope as we trust in Your goodness and eternal purposes to be accomplished. Thank you for redeeming me and this evil world. I long to be with You both now and forever. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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