Tim Tebow Issues Profound Challenge to the Church

God created you with an awesome plan in mind. You were made for a purpose to do amazing things. I know so many people who can’t wait to get the day over with so they can binge on whatever TV show is trending or numb their existence with other things. At the same time, most of these same people complain about how unfulfilled, bored or tired they are.

Look, I know what it’s like to want to get lost in an awesome movie or TV show. There’s something to be said about enjoying artful entertainment. It can be powerful and can even inspire us. But often, this medium is used to escape reality. Whether intentional or not, it can be a means to neglect the truth of our lives. When we numb out on anything, we cannot see the joy, hope and light that exist, even when life is hard. Nor can we imagine the incredible things God can do through us.

Some of our ability to thrive comes from our own perspective—how we view God, ourselves and the world. Our view of God, for instance, changes how we view ourselves.

Think about how you view God for a moment. Do you believe your faith in God exists just to make you feel good? Do you think the miracle stories in the Bible—like the parting of the Red Sea, the resurrection of Lazarus or the feeding of the 5,000—are simply stories frozen in time?

Or do you believe the same God who performed miracles thousands of years ago is the same yesterday, today and forever? Do you believe He can change your life? Do you believe that through you He can impact others in transformative ways? Do you believe God can change a life from darkness to light because you decide to step out in faith and give someone a message of hope?

Without having this mindset, of course it’s easy to numb out and watch Netflix for hours. Without a powerful view of God and knowing what’s possible through Him, our capacity to thrive is completely diminished. When we begin to see God in a life-changing, miracle-making and revolutionary way, we can have the courage to take a step of faith. We can do things outside our comfort zone. We can change our familiar routine and old patterns and do things differently, better.

Here’s the challenge. What if we invested in things that had value, like our relationship with God or our relationships with others? What if instead of complaining about what’s not working in our lives, we tried to find a solution? What if we committed to improving our spiritual and physical health instead of feeling unfulfilled, sick and tired all the time?

I find that the majority of people I come in contact with are problem finders. It’s easy to point out problems. They’re everywhere! But as I tell everyone who works with me and is part of our foundation, don’t just tell me what’s wrong with this or that; offer a solution. Don’t be a problem finder. Be a problem solver.

I’m not saying I have the answers, but I do know that when we don’t expect much from ourselves or especially from God, we stay stuck. We let life pass us by. We don’t wake up and look at this day as an opportunity to live with purpose and passion. But, remember, this is what you were created for!

Maybe it’s time to start praying and asking God to use whatever you have. Maybe it’s time to pray that He would show you what you have. Whatever you’ve got, put it all in.

Is it time for you to start dreaming big, to start dreaming God-sized dreams? I don’t know what that looks like for you. But I do know that part of living this way means being confident that regardless of what happens in life or with our pursuits, God’s going to use it. He will use for the good our failures, our mistakes, our detours and our U-turns, just like He will use our successes.

I’m always encouraged when I remind myself what Jesus said: “What is impossible for people is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). When I think about this in terms of baseball, I don’t apply this truth to believe I’m going to one day be the best hitter in the majors. I believe it in the context of God doing more in my life, more with my dreams, more with my leap of faith, more with my love for Him and others than I could ever imagine. {eoa}

Excerpted from This Is the Day: Reclaim Your Dream. Ignite Your Passion. Live Your Purpose. Copyright © 2018 by Timothy R. Tebow. To be published by WaterBrook, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, on Sept. 25.