Ready: “For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.” —Hébreux 12:3
Set:
Jesus’ disciples once found themselves caught in a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. Waves crashed over the boat. Wind howled. Control slipped away. Their response was emotional—panic, fear, frustration. They did what most of us do under pressure: they tried harder, and judgment froze. Jesus was in the same boat—facing the same storm and the same waves—but He was asleep. When the disciples woke Him, Jesus spoke calmly and rebuked the storm. Then He asked, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Matthieu 8:23-27)
That day, the Galilean storm revealed both fear and formation. The storm reactions showed how people respond when God’s Spirit starts renewing their minds. We overlook that Jesus was just another man in the boat—not God pretending to be human. He felt the same wind. He was tossed by the same waves. Yet, His response wasn’t driven by adrenaline and frustration. His composure showed renewal-training that trusted His Father.
Crises reveal spiritual maturity. They show the growth, or lack of, of our training. Pressure exposes whether minds exercise God’s training or revert to self-solutions. That’s why Hebrews 12:3 tells us to “consider” (analogisasthe) Jesus — to analyze how the Holy Spirit renewed Jesus’ mind for pressure-packed moments. Faith is practiced trust. The storm revealed faith-formation. Our faith-formation, and that of fellow believers, is displayed every day in our response to bad calls, blown assignments, frustrating teammates, poor decisions and disappointing performance.
A renewed mind trains for crises before they arrive. It pauses instead of exploding. It speaks calmly instead of firing back. It stays composed instead of spiraling. In sports and life, how do we, and others, react to confrontation and chaos? Renewed minds consider Jesus’ reactions before frustrations and pressure strike. Our reactions, and those of fellow believers, reveal the level of our renewal training when critical moments arise.
Go:
Have you responded, in a game, practice, or relationship, with frustration or calm? What did it reveal about your renewal training?
As you consider (analyze) Jesus, what part of Jesus’ response do you most need re-think?
This week, how will you display faith-training instead of self-effort?
Workout:
Overtime:
“My God and my Coach, train me to be strong in frustrating moments. Let me respond with a renewed mind that’s trained to trust you. Partner me with others who reveal your faith-formation. Amen.”