I Know the Plans I Have For You

I talked in the last blog about the movie A League of Their Own. I think there may be another lesson in that movie from the rivalry between the sisters. Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty) are a big sister-kid sister duo who make it into the women’s league together. Due to continuing rivalry (mostly in Kit’s head), Kit switches to another team.
The inevitable showdown comes in the World Series when Dottie’s team and Kit’s team are in that series together. The action scenes in that part of the movie are almost a side show to what I see as the real emotions that come through when Dottie sees Kit in her dugout, angry, pouting, self-pitying, and crying, yet determined as she copes with the emotions of battling head to head with an older sister that she has always looked up to, yet is jealous of because she believes Dottie is so much better and has had the better breaks in life.
I hear in that scene series an unspoken line Dottie might have said to Kit, “How badly do you want it? How badly do you want to succeed? Are you willing to put aside all of the jealousy and anger and pouting and self-pity and work your heart out to attain the goal?”
Now, friend, look at yourself. Look at your lot in life and then take note of the excuses you use to justify why you are where you are instead of where you want to be. Do you shift the blame for your misfortune to other people or external events? Are you still trying to convince someone (or yourself) that what has happened to you isn’t fair? Are you envious of those who have seemed to have overcome adversity and have risen to the top?
Be honest, now. And be grateful that God has given you yet another chance to allow Him to mold you into what He wants for you. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:11-14a