2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.
One of my favorite baseball movies is, "A League of Their Own," starring Tom Hanks and Geena Davis. Hanks, plays the role of Jimmy Dugan, a washed-up baseball player from the 1930's and Davis plays the star baseball player of an all-female professional baseball team from the World War 2 era. During a pivotal scene in which Davis decides that the pain and grind of playing baseball every day is too hard and is going to quit, Dugan reminds her that baseball is "inside you" and when you're good, you can't shake it. Dugan says of baseball, "It's the 'hard' that makes it great."
Today's letter from St. Paul to Timothy serves as a similar address. He reminds Timothy that things may seem tough and discouraging right now, but that it will get better, and that in fact, you can't walk away. Paul reminds Timothy (and us) of our heritage, of where our faith came from and the flame that burned when we first became a follower of Jesus. Paul tells him (in so many words) not to be a coward but to persevere and take on that challenge of hardship and to draw on the strength that comes from God.
Life has its ups and downs. For some of us, we may feel as if we may never pull out of the "downs." But Paul reminds not to quit, but to let God handle it. It's never easy to "let go and let God," but we have to try. Many of our friends and clergy have that flame of the Holy Spirit burning in their hearts. You can turn to them to help you. However, if you keep it bottled up, your heart might turn to stone. As Paul says today, "don't be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with strength that comes from God." When things get tough, don't quit on God.
