“You won’t be included in the team picture” my coach told me. I thought to myself, “How could he do this? Had I done something wrong? Made a bad decision? Been careless? Was I not trying?” Each day I practiced my golf game and worked hard to improve. I tried my best. But my performance was not good enough.
There were thirteen of us on the college golf team, but only five of the guys were able to travel to tournaments each week. I started out as one of the five guys. Even if I didn’t play great in the tournaments, I had peace that I was good enough to be part of the traveling team while eight of the lesser players were left home. But over time my game struggled. Eventually my performance dropped me out of the five guys that traveled each week.
I thought when it was time to take the team picture I would be included in it. I could enjoy some peace knowing I was still part of the thirteen-guy team even if I wasn’t part of the five guys that traveled to tournaments.
But I wasn’t. Why? My performance was not good enough. I was devastated. The golf team was my community. Now I was pushed out because of my poor performance. I tried my best, but my best effort was not good enough.
Thankfully, my participation in community with God is not based on performance. Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:1-2, NIV). I am grateful that it is through my faith in Jesus Chris that I have peace.
In his book, The Bumps Are What You Climb On, Warren Wiersbe writes, “It is a great mistake to build your happiness on circumstances or things, because circumstances change and things have a way of wearing out and losing their value. True internal peace cannot be based on changing external things. We need something deeper and more satisfying.” That thing that is deeper and more satisfying is Jesus Christ, “For he himself [Jesus] is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14, NIV). The peace Christians experience is based on Christ and faith in him, not performance. Christians don’t make peace; they enjoy it.
I am grateful it is by faith that I am saved, and that I have peace with God. I know that when it’s time for a picture to be taken in heaven, I will be included in it.