One more baseball story! Only 15 days until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training!
As I have shared before, I grew up on baseball diamonds. And through my teenage years, I enjoyed a lot of success on those diamonds and learned many life lessons. I could field ground balls. Scoop throws in the dirt playing first base. Run down a pop fly in the outfield. Lay down a drag bunt and beat the throw to first. Step on the pitcher’s mound and outsmart hitters.

I love everything about the game. The sight of a well-manicured infield. The smell of a freshly mowed outfield. The feel of the dirt. The sound of metal spikes on concrete. The taste of a hot dog after a win. But one thing I never liked when I played the game was the dreaded curve ball. I couldn’t throw one and I couldn’t hit one. I have always had trouble with the curve. (Which is a great Clint Eastwood movie!)

Albert Pujols who is one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game. He struggles with curve balls too. For every 22 home runs Pujols hits off a fast ball, he hits 1 off a curve. And he hit 703 total in his career. He says that he has disciplined himself to not swing at curve balls and wait for the fastball.

Oh if life were only that easy. If we could just go through life and avoid the curves, the hardships, the disappointments, the grief. Life has a way of throwing us curve balls. What about you? How do you respond when life throws you a curve?

Overlooked for the promotion. Maybe even lost your job. Marriage not turning out the way you envisioned. Illness. Accidents. Crisis. Church Stuff. Circumstances that leave you wondering what is going on? What is going to happen? How are we going to make it?

And life doesn’t let you just sit back and wait for the fastball.

In John 16:16-33, Jesus’ disciples were about to enter one of those seasons of life. Jesus knew he needed to get them prepared because the curve that was coming was that He was leaving. Crucifixion, Buried, Future Unknown. Jesus had to teach them how to hit the curve. Things had been going well. They had been with Jesus for 3+ years. They had witnessed miracles, confrontations with religious leaders and learned a lot from the greatest teacher of all time. Coming into Jerusalem the crowds were unbelievable, singing and dancing as they entered the city.

But now the mood had changed. They celebrated the Passover in a little upper room of a house and things didn’t seem right. The celebration mood had a somber feel to it. Jesus knew these were the last moments he would have alone with the 12 disciples. He was about to remind them of why he came – that a time of mourning was coming – he was preparing them to hit the curve.

I want us to remember what the disciples began to understand in that little upper room of the house. Remember this – Our difficulties are God’s opportunities! God can hit the curve! Three things stand out to me from those verses. Go back and read them.
vs. 20, “You will grieve.”
vs. 20, “But your grief will turn to joy.”
vs. 24, “Ask anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

Our difficulties are God’s opportunities!

And Jesus says remember when you asked me to teach you how to pray? From now on prayer is how you hit the curveball. Prayer is how you handle the doubt, the anxiety, the grief. You can’t physically run to me any more when there is trouble. But you can now spiritually run to me anytime.
Nothing frustrates an opposing pitcher like hitting his curveball. Satan hates when we pray!

Prayer can change grief to joy, confusion to clarity. Prayer disarms the enemy.
Prayer can help us see the big picture. Help us put these times of struggle into perspective.
            You need to ask the Father
            You need to believe the Son
I taught you how to pray early on – now you will have to pray – and the Holy Spirit will teach you and lead you in prayer.

Are you having trouble with the curve? Take it to the Father!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33