The Toronto Raptors are the NBA Champions! It seems weird to write and it’s hard to believe that they knocked off the dominant Golden State Warriors.
The Raptors have an incredible story with their first-year head coach, how the team was constructed, and their ability to remain steady all the way to the end.
They have earned so much respect and are worthy champions, but I can’t help but take into consideration all that has happened to the Warriors. They were hit with injuries to Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Kevon Looney...and DeMarcus Cousins still isn't at 100%.
This was a great team with multiple future Hall of Famers who had won back to back NBA Finals, yet even they couldn’t avoid the torn Achilles or the torn ACL.
Although they had some very tough breaks during this series, the Warriors stuck together and fought until the end - ultimately knowing so much was out of their control. The Warriors were gracious in defeat as they congratulated the Raptors after the game.
As difficult as it is to lose and struggle with injuries, maybe they realized how thankful they should be for all of their previous championships and the multiple seasons they had without any major injuries.
What's interesting is that after years of receiving the good breaks, building a dynasty, and doing all the right things to contend for a championship each season, bad things seemed to happen to them all at once.
Even though we shouldn't feel sorry for the Warriors after all of their success, we can wonder why bad things sometimes happen to great teams...which leads to the more agonizing question of why bad things happen to good people?
For most of us, our lives have consisted of seasons of wins, as well as, seasons of disappointment. Of course, we like the times when life is good and we’re winning games by 20 without any injuries.
We’re doing the right things, making good decisions, and pursuing Jesus instead of a sinful life, and begin to expect everything should keep going our way.
Then all of a sudden everything around us starts to collapse. Health concerns, job issues, family dynamics, and overall loss. We begin to ask, why are these bad things happening to me?
But instead of asking that, we should be mindful of how we're going to respond and we must remember how God has taken care of us in the past. Similar to the Warriors, we can choose to be thankful for the wins we’ve already experienced, stick together, fight through the challenges, and rest in knowing that so much is out of our control.
We can trust in our loving and all-powerful God to strengthen us as we go through the bad times, with our heads held high. We can be gracious in defeat, knowing there is a purpose in the struggle - even when we don’t know the why.
In the Bible, the book of Job is all about his suffering and losing it all while remaining in humble submission to God. Even though Job was a great and righteous man, bad things still happened.
In Job 1:21-22 (CSB), he provides the following perspective that we can rest in today:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Throughout all this, Job did not sin or blame God for anything.”
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I admit it’s hard to understand when bad things happen to good people. However, I know this life is temporary and there is purpose found in suffering. Your ways are higher than my ways and Your goodness never changes. I pray I’d continue to trust and obey, regardless of the injuries I face and the seasons when everything goes wrong. I know You are still with me and You still love me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Comments