Tom Brady became Super Bowl LI’s MVP!
It was one of the best Super Bowl’s ever. The game even out-shined the commercials (in my opinion). And Gaga’s halftime show was great.
If you went to sleep before the end of the game here’s a quick recap: The Atlanta Falcons were in command during the first half of the game. They were scoring, knocking Brady around, and making the Patriot’s potent offense sputter.
Falcon fans were going crazy. The cheers were deafening even at the party I attended. In the excitement of it all someone even dropped his wings on the floor (a party foul in every sense of the word).
Back to the game… in the middle of half that stadium’s excitement the camera showed Brady on the bench. Staring. Thinking. Processing the routing Atlanta was giving him and his team.
Now, just to make clear, I am not a Patriot’s fan, but I am a Tom Brady fan. I like his passion, his never quit mentality, and the way he skillfully dismantles a team one play at a time because he wants to win. And that’s exactly what happened late in the 3rd and into the 4th quarter of the game. Team adjustments were made at halftime and executed to perfection.
Atlanta Falcon fans may have been hating life when the Patriot’s offense and defense started firing on all cylinders but for the rest of us football fans everywhere it was a thrill to watch.
Brady had pushed the team to a historical comeback and the ultimate overtime win. It was an MVP performance!
What happened with Brady and the New England Patriots offers us insight on how we can rise from an emotional and spiritual beat-down so we can get the win.
Maybe you’re there right now, down in the dumps of life feeling like it’s going to take too much for you to climb up and out of the hole you’re in.
You say, “There’s little comeback left in me.”
I say, “Nonsense! Don’t let your mind betray you. Make whatever adjustments necessary so you can come out on top.”
David’s words in Psalm 139 presents us with a life-gameplan for an MVP caliber performance that kicks life’s difficulties’ tail,
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139: 23-24, NIV)
If we humanize the above prayer for a moment and fit it into the football mentality that must have taken over that defeated Patriot locker room at halftime, it must have sounded something like this: “What is going here? How is this happening? Think! Let’s figure out where we are we messing up and clean it up so we can win this thing.”
Now imagine that it’s halftime in your life. How’s your game going?
Whatever’s happening, turn to your life-Coach, God! Then, like David, open yourself to His Spirit’s guidance. Ask Him to investigate and cross-examine your mind and heart and then execute His plan.
Most often it is our thinking that becomes our problem.
Let the Lord refine your thoughts. Ever since I read the above verse a few days ago I committed it to memory and have been praying David’s words back to God often. I guess it’s my way of saying, “Lord, I want you in the control booth of my being.”
Then, like David, ask God to reveal to you where you’re messing up with sin, where you’re fumbling the spiritual ball and throwing bad interceptions that are creating problems in your life. Confess those.
Finally, like David, set your heart on the ultimate prize, God’s way everlasting, or, whatever God thinks is best for you that will make you an MVP in His eyes.
Trust me, the Lord will help you up your game deep within and the results will be visible at home, work, and play.
What’s your MVP game plan? Please leave me a comment.
Thanks, Jorge! Your blog is as refreshing as it is insightful.
Even Christians put God in a ‘box’ sometimes. We falter and stumble and unfortunately forget that our God is an awesome God!
The problem, as you stated, IS our thinking. Instead of humbling ourselves and turning to our Lord for mercy, council, and guidance, we wrongly think that there is no way we can handle a bad situation in our lives. WE can’t, but GOD Can!
“For nothing is impossible with God.” LUKE 1:37
Great reply as usual, Jim. Thanks for reading and responding.
Thank you for that message. I wrote that verse down and will include it in my morning prayers. I don’t know why but we all get so wrapped up in our troubles we forget to give it to God. The mind can go so many places! David’s psalm is awesome and thak you so much for ” Pulling out” the amazing way you always do and making it useful in our everyday journey. Kudos! !!!
Thank you Barbara. That Psalm 139 is awesome and that last prayer amazing. The Lord help us keep our minds on Him for sure.