Imagine playing your sport without a ball when one is needed. You walk 18 holes swinging a club aimlessly without once striking a golf ball. You shoot baskets without feeling the ball release from your fingertips. You drop back to throw a 50-yard bomb to a wide open receiver for a game-winning touchdown, but there’s nothing in your hand. Yes, it sounds ludicrous to do these things. It would eliminate the game itself. Most sports require a ball in order to fulfill the goals and objectives of the game. Simply put, a game without a ball is not even a game at all.

While out on a run the other day, I thought to myself, "I need new running shoes." Not WANT new running shoes; NEED new running shoes. These things are terrible! They are several years old, have been worn down, used and abused. They are literally falling apart! Sometimes I think it would be healthier for me not to run instead of grinding it out with these things.

As the run went on, all I kept thinking about was the need for new running shoes, and soon I realized that there was a spiritual parallel here. Stay with me on this one.

Every time a track meet comes around, memories of my past throws (shot put and discus) come rushing back into my mind—all of the times I’ve choked or have failed to do my best. I’m so anxious about how I need to make up for my short comings of the last meet that I never truly enjoy competing. Shame of the past always seems to bring me down.

What is the treasure of your life? After March Madness, hopefully your treasure wasn’t in a perfect NCAA tournament bracket. But if, for example, our relationship with Jesus Christ is truly of utmost importance, then our time, energies, and day-to-day lifestyles should reflect that. Does it?

In Philippians 3, Paul communicates that what he once considered “gain” (when he was a Pharisee) he now considers “loss.” Just before those verses above, Paul stated in verses 5-6 that he had a great family heritage, social status, biblical knowledge, and even led a moral lifestyle. But when he came into a relationship with Christ, he realized that apart from the Lord, all of it was "loss."

Have you ever noticed how we tend to judge ourselves based on our intentions? Even if our actions were wrong or the outcome was bad, we still give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. Why is that? I think it is because we know that our intentions were good. Most of the time, we were trying to help others or trying to do the “right thing,” so even if it didn’t turn out right, we still encourage ourselves.