Beware of the Shift

I love football.

That’s worthy of a blog post right there because I’m ready for football season to be here and my patience is beginning to wear thin. :-) But that’s not the point of this post or story… on to the real post.

I love football and, while I’ve never played, I’ve come to know a good bit about football by watching it and talking it for years now. I’ve begun to understand some of the nuances and small things that make football more than just a “hit you in the mouth” sport.

One of those things is line shifts. Sometimes, as the last second before the snap, the defensive line will shift. They’ll all (most of the time) move to the right or to the left. It’s all about finding the gaps in the offensive line that make rushing the passer easier.

What I’ve noticed in my own life is that, much like the offensive line and quarterback on an offense, I have to beware of the shift.

You see, none of us just get up one morning determined to walk away from our morals, principles, or faith. None of us just suddenly decide to throw aware our marriage, our right to lead, or our influence on our kids. None of us decide to move away from what’s right, it happens over a period of time and it can change the game in our lives, forever.

The key to fighting the shift is to keep yourself in check so you can recognize when the line starts to change. To make adjustments on the fly so you can line up better with what’s trying to take you out.

– To have godly people around you.
– To be a part of a local church.
– To stay in the Word on a regular basis.
– To guard what comes into your mind.

Realize that there will be times where you’re not “feeling it.” You’re not feeling like God is present in your circumstances. You’re not feeling like praying or worshipping Him. You’re not feeling like doing the right thing.

Different things can cause the shift for different people. The key is to know yourself well enough so you can spot it (audible :)) when the least bit of motion happens.

Beware of the shift. Stay on the offensive.

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[bctt tweet=”None of us decide to move away from what’s right, it happens over a period of time.” username=”jonathanpearson”]

[bctt tweet=”I’ve noticed in life that, much like the offensive line, I have to beware of the shift.” username=”jonathanpearson”]