Chasing After The Wind

We are back from our trek to Montana for a week to take care of some business. Back to Montana next week to finish out the summer on our continued Holy Spirit adventure and writing sabbatical. I was struck this week by Scottie Sheffler’s comments before and during his British Open victory. I started my book, Seven Days in Utopia with a question, “How can a game have such an effect on a man’s soul.” Until that question is addressed by each of us, winning will always leave us unfulfilled. I remember a quote from years ago, “The saddest day in a man’s life is when he wins it all and still feels empty.” Without a purpose greater than ourselves, fulfillment will forever be fleeting. The deepest joy in life, true unadulterated fulfillment, comes through a deep and intimate relationship with our Father in heaven and then emanates to and through our relationships with others. Winning and defeat are but short destinations along the sacred journey of life. When we get that, the enemy—the fear of failure is removed and we are free to compete with all of our talent and gifts on display with a peace inside that frees us to perform stress free. Our question then changes to this. “How can I use my abilities to make the lives of those around me better.” Scottie said this well as he expressed that winning is meaningless, faith and family are where his strength comes from. He expressed that he loves to compete and win, but fulfillment is not found there. What a message for the ages. May we all endeavor to passionately find true fulfillment in the life we have been given.

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”
- Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 NIV