Welcome to “Athlos” a weekly Wednesday blog which examines pillars of personal excellence and regularly brings together the worlds of spirituality and sport.
Avoid Grumbling
“All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them ‘If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?”-Numbers 14:2-3
Attack Groaning
How soon we forget.
Have you ever seen yourself move from being grateful to being grudgeful? Perhaps it is at your office, in your family or in a current or former educational institution. You began with so much anticipation, excitement and thankfulness in your particular endeavour but things got hard and you became unhappy.
I sometimes wonder if sports fans suffer the same fate. It tends to show up when a player moves from one club to another and the fans of the old team resort to bellowing out resounding ‘boos’ to their former hero.
In the past week, fans’ reactions to transfers have been in view. Russell Wilson won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014 in the National Football League (NFL). Earlier this year, he joined the Denver Broncos. On his return to Seattle last weekend, he was booed by Seahawks fans.
In Europe, star footballer Robert Lewandowski recently left Germany’s Bayern Munich to join Spain’s Barcelona. He returned on September 13th to Germany for a Champions League game between the two clubs. Commendably, the Bayern fans gave him a warm reception for the most part. No hard feelings, apparently.
Both Lewandowski and Wilson led their former teams to sporting glory. They were prolific, outstanding players. As is inevitable in life, change happens. Their excellence and service should always be appreciated even if it is now with a new family. Yet, we easily forget.
It happened in Old Testament times when, under Moses’ leadership, the people of Israel complained about their wilderness experience. They looked back and even longed to return to Egypt where they were slaves. God did not take their groaning lightly. They forgot the glory and grace of God and how he used Moses in the past.
Before we judge them too harshly, we too must look within to see if there is grumbling spirit in us. If you detect one, attack it, renounce it and learn from it.
Adopt Gratitude
Gratitude is both a decision and a habit. So is complaining. Choose the former.
If you were inspired by this blog, please consider sharing it with one other person today. To learn more about these and other related themes that promote the cultivation of an integrated inner self, read UNBEATABLE! which is available on Amazon in print and as an e-book.
This Post Has 4 Comments
Definitely speaks to my heart, regarding the tempting reaction to give the cold shoulder to the person who has committed a betrayal or offense – as the relatively moral response (!) – instead of showing open hostility. The Bayern Munich fans are to be commended for their exemplary and convicting behaviour.
Great contribution, Colin! Thank you.
Gratitude is both a decision and a habit. Wow!!! Deep. Thanks. Just have to do it by living it. It must be at the centre of my core.
Thank you, Michelle. You are right in saying that we can become consistently grateful by living it out.