All of us have had the experience of something not quite working out the way it was supposed to. It could be a career move or a relationship. Maybe it was a business investment or a new church. Let’s face it, sometimes we just swing and miss…
When this happens we can get down on ourselves or others. It can be easy to get the idea that there’s something wrong with us when we mess up or have a major disappointment in life, but I doubt that this reaction will help us get back on track. The kid in this picture just missed a pretty sweet pitch; you’ve got to drive that one! Being a kid that young, it might have been easy for him to be discouraged…
Here’s Paul’s advice for this young hitter:
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
(Phil. 3:13-14)
When we have a disappointment or a failure, we need to forget what was behind and press on to the goal, just as an athlete must when he has a disappointing performance. We must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and press on, forgiving ourselves and others who might have hurt us along the way.
As for our young hitter, he didn’t waste any time being upset about missing a fat pitch:
No sir, he sent a little present smoking past the pitcher and eventually came around to score a run. Oh, we can learn from his example!
Life Project Blog 
Often wonder if the “three strikes and you are out” element is also taken too literally into real life. Tried once and got knocked, down, same thing a second time, if it happens again – what is the point?
O know that in baseball, three strikes and you’re out is quite literally true, but in bowling it often means you are winning!
Never give up!
Yep!
Great encouragement! So often we do lean on the “three strikes and you’re out” adage that paulfg mentioned, or we just do not try at all a first time because of the old message “you can’t do that” or words to the like. Though I cannot say that I always follow this, my favorite quote in this case, rather than the two mentioned, is “If at first you don’t suceed, TRY, TRY again! Have a blessed day Don!
Thank you Elaine. You know what’s always struck me as funny? There isn’t anything that I’ve ever done that anybody ever said they thought I could do; they’ve always said I can/t do it… I was always either too clumsy, too slow, too young, too inexperienced… and now I’m too old and too blind. Needless to say, I quit listening decades ago, and I’ve had my successes and failures, but in the end I’ve done more than most! Keep at it!
People are always so willing to tell us what we cannot do! Amazing. Perhaps they mean these are things they cannot do? Well they could if they tried, but so often the lack of self esteem slows them down. I know, I’ve traveled that road. Think I will do my best to stay on the more positive road, succeeding at some things, failing at others, but never giving up.
Me too!
Someone above said never give up however I don’t believe that. Sometimes when you failed a certain number of times maybe you need to re-evaluate what it is you are trying to do. It could be you don’t have that skill or talent. It could be you have the wrong method and not willing to try a different way. Sometimes you have to give up. How many people go on talent shows and yet they have nowhere near the talent and they get humiliated. Of course give up. However when yu are called by God to do something then obviously God knows you (and Him) are capable therefore don’t give up.
Thanks Steve!