“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” – 2 Timothy 1:72
This past week, the NFL draft took place with 259 players being selected this year. They will now have a chance to play for a professional football team. These players have spent years working on their skills. For them, it is a dream come true to be drafted. Each year there are 1,696 players active in the NFL. That may seem like a lot, but when you think about the fact there are currently 14,750 active players in Division 1 (FBS) college football, it really puts into perspective just how hard it is to play for an NFL team. As I followed the 2023 NFL draft, I found myself celebrating for each of these players as their dreams became a reality.
Just a few weeks ago, the NFL made the news as another player returned to an NFL roster. It was Monday night, January 2, when Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin, went into cardiac arrest on live TV. The world watched as the Bills’ medical staff worked to bring Damar back to life. The quick thinking and skill of those medical personnel saved Damar’s life. They literally brought him back to life, right there on the turf.
Thankfully, Damar Hamlin not only survived, but has since made a remarkable recovery. That Monday night football game was never restarted. The shock made it impossible for players and coaches to continue. The season did continue, but without Damar.
Recently, on April 18, Damar Hamlin told the world that he would be returning to the Buffalo Bills next season to play. It was an amazing announcement. There would be so many reasons for Damar to retire, but he has decided to go forward with his career. In his announcement, Damar said, “I just want to show people that fear is a choice. You might feel anxious, you might feel any type of way, but you just keep putting that right foot in front of the left one and you keep going. I want to stand for that.”
Fear of an unknown future has the power to keep us from chasing our dreams. If we focus on the things that make us nervous and anxious, we can find ourselves paralyzed, unable to move. If we stay focused on our dreams and our hopes for the future, we will find strength to go forward. Damar Hamlin’s faith and his determination to live out his dream of being a professional football player will put him back on the field this fall. When we look beyond our past and our fear, we too will find the strength to go forward.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
