16 Aug Faith Delivers Possibilities
We’ve all been there. That moment when you think, “This is harder than I thought… maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
It might have been when you were at work, when you were putting in the hours, but no one seemed to notice. Or it might have been in the middle of a training session, when your legs felt like cement and your lungs were on fire. Or maybe in life, when something blindsides you that you didn’t see coming. Or possibly something so personal that you’re not quite ready to talk about.
In my book, Hard Comes First, I talk about those moments. And I call them exactly what they are: hard, not sugarcoated. Not made to sound easier than they are moments. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned about those difficult times, it’s this:
The hardest usually comes first. But faith makes it worth it because this is where faith can bloom and grow. And, this has undoubtedly been the case for me, where I’ve been forced to my knees, asking for God’s help.
Faith can be strange. People often think it’s just believing everything will work out okay. But genuine faith runs deeper — it’s believing there’s a purpose in the process before you see the outcome.
I’ve seen it in athletes I’ve coached. Players who look at the scoreboard when things aren’t going well and give up. And then there’s the one who says, “I’m not done yet.” The difference? Faith. One sees the current reality. The other sees a possibility. And here’s the truth — faith isn’t unquestioning optimism. It’s trusting that God is doing something in you and for you, even when your eyes only see obstacles.
Let me tell you about a season in my life when I learned this firsthand. Years ago, I faced a situation that felt like a wall I couldn’t climb. I was putting in the hours at work and doing everything I thought was right — but there were things close to my heart that I couldn’t fix. I was spiraling backwards. I remember praying, “God, if I’m doing all the right things, why does it feel like nothing is working?”
And in that moment, I sensed a voice I’ll never forget: “I’m not just building your outcome. I’m building you.” That was faith. Not the “everything will be easy” kind of faith — but the “God’s not done with me” kind of faith. The kind that says the hard part isn’t punishment… It’s preparation.
Here’s something I’ve learned, and it’s a hard truth:
Faith is a choice, not an emotion. If I had only followed my feelings in the challenging moments, I would have quit a long time ago. Feelings change with circumstances — and circumstances in life change a lot.
But faith? Faith says, “I’m showing up today, no matter how I feel.”
Faith gets you back on the track after a bad race.
Faith has you studying after you failed a test.
Faith keeps loving people, even when they don’t appreciate it.
In Hard Comes First, I wrote that the most significant battles we fight aren’t out there — they’re on the inside. And faith is the road to winning them.
When we go through a hard season, we’re tempted to think the reward is on the other side. But I’ve come to believe the gift is inside the hard season itself.
It’s in the discipline you gain.
It’s in the patience you learn.
It’s in the character God is building when no one else is watching.