Five Years of Pain

Just prior to the start of a November, 2008 pre-game chapel a football player stopped by my table and said that he’d like to talk with me. I said we would talk after the pre-game meal. As most of the room had cleared I walked to his table and asked him what I could do for him. He began to tell me of the five years of regret he has suffered because he didn’t tell his grandmother that he loved her prior to her untimely death in their home on this very day.

Tears were running down his face as he told the story. It seems his every waking moment is haunted by these five years of regret and the only free moments he has are as he’s playing football as it requires his full attention. He’s feeling pressure now because he knows he’s running out of football games. I assured him of his grandmother’s love and respect and we talked about how to move this grief process along. We talked about some short-term things to do today and a few more to do in the coming days and weeks. I prayed with him at the table and then turned him loose.

After leaving the dining room I walked to the stadium to pray for the players and coaches. As I walked up and down the field, I prayed for each unit of the team and their responsibilities as well as for the coaching staff. As I was praying and walking, I could see my grieving friend sitting quietly at the top of the stadium and I knew he was doing one of the things I had suggested just minutes ago. I was praying that his heart would be free to compete at his best and to release the regret that has plagued him for years. As I was leaving the stadium I spoke to him on the field and he said that he felt great.

The player’s sanctuary of freedom and relaxation was faithful to him again, but today he played with even greater liberty due to having dealt with his painful regret. He played his heart out and rushed for 256 yards and two touchdowns on the day. More than any achievement on the field that day, he has broken through five years of torment and sorrow into freedom and confidence. Now he can feel free and forgiven on and off the field.

Just a couple of weeks ago this player made a commitment to Christ at a local church and was baptized a week later. I have to believe that the release of his five years of regret and selfimposed guilt had truly freed his heart to trust Christ Jesus for all of his life. In a recent conversation he said that it was time to take this step in his life.

Let’s all trust the Lord with the daily events of our ministry. Sometimes we’re paving the way for a player or coach to trust the Lord with his or her heart, but they may not make that commitment in our presence or even under our guidance. Let’s let the Lord have room to draw people in His time through His multitude of servants. To force the issue or to manipulate a person to pray may be counterproductive to the Lord’s purposes.