Don’t Fumble Your Faith

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8

Running back Rashaan Salaam won the Heisman Trophy in 1994 as the best player in college football. But in his rookie season with the NFL’s Chicago Bears, he fumbled the ball nine times. To prevent future fumbles, the coaches fixed a tether to the football. When Salaam ran with it in practice, someone ran behind him jerking on the tether, forcing Salaam to grasp the ball more tightly. As his grip grew stronger, his fumbles grew fewer.

The Bible is clear that God does not tempt anyone to sin (James 1:13). But it is also clear that God allows us to be tempted. Have you ever wondered why? Just as having someone try to jerk the ball out of his hands caused a star football player to stop fumbling, so God allows Satan to attempt to steal our faith so we’ll learn to grasp it tighter. Often we don’t realize the value of something we have until someone attempts to steal it from us. Your faith is a treasure delivered to you for safekeeping by God. Hold it tight regardless of how hard you’re hit by the opposition.

View temptations as your heavenly Coach’s way to keep you from fumbling your faith.