In football season, the end zone is known as the thrill of victory for any football team who receives the beloved touchdown. It’s the one area where a voluminous uproar from the crowd is given when the football player rightfully enters the end zone with the football in hand. And it’s also the outward groan from the opposing football team’s realization they are facing the challenge of having to work harder to not lose the game.
But, living in “The End” zone has another possible connotation. It’s sometimes the season in our lives where shock, deep despair and loss exist. The space where we no longer can move forward with our lives as we know it and the bad news keeps coming. It’s the place where we rarely ever want to find ourselves and where we question if we can possibly go on.
Reflect on your life for a moment. Have you ever lost a vital job unexpectedly, found out that your marriage was over without any warning, faced complete financial ruin, or possibly had your life completely turned upside down when someone you loved died? Realized the consequences of your decisions had an irreversible, profoundly negative impact on your life? This is living in “The End” zone. Its finding you have nowhere to go and you don’t have any earthly idea how you are going to make it through another day.
Living in “The End” zone is very tough. Because as much as you want to turn back time and find a way to reverse your present reality, you recognize at some point there is no going back and time isn’t reversible. But where is hope? Can good news be found in bad news?
What I have found in my story and in talking with others is, moving out of “The End” zone takes time. Serious time. But, a wise person once told me, it’s what you do with your time that makes all the difference. Remember, time is just time. It will heal some of your wounds and not all of them. Being intentional to find good news through the bad news, is a choice.
So, if are like me, and you are trying to walk out of “The End” zone of your life, then I would encourage you to consider three simple daily questions:
What is an action I can do today to take care of myself?
Sleep 8 hours? Take a warm, bubble bath? Listen to uplifting music? Workout? Eat healthy?
Give myself words of love and encouragement? Think of all the ways I’m thankful for my life?
What is one intentional action I can do for myself today?
Pray? Meditate on Scripture? Go to church? Walk in nature and observe God’s creation?
Do something with my hands like gardening, refinishing something old and depleted?
Connect with someone who I can share and trust my heart with?
What is one action I can suspend today that is self-destructive?
Sleep in less? Drink no alcohol? Remove myself from toxic and/or negative relationships?
Not emotionally eat? Get off the couch? Stop sitting and watching TV for hours?
Suspend chronic negative self-talk?
God has a plan; and His plan isn’t to leave you in “The End” zone forever. Remember, just like football, it’s just for a season. Focus your attention on being in His presence, leaning on Him with everything you’ve got and trust He will bring a good result. He is a loving, kind and merciful God. Turn towards Him. Let Him show you just how much He is, who He is. One faithful step at a time. You follow through faithfully with your part and let God blow you away with His part!
