As we find ourselves in the midst of March Madness …

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”              II Corinthians 4:8-9 (NIV)

I watched in disbelief as the basketball player slam dunked the ball grabbing the rim briefly before the backboard shattered and the rim came crashing to the floor. As the rim broke from its anchor a portion of the backboard dislodged and shards of glass rained down on the player and the court. 

It all happened so fast. It was an awesome spectacle to witness. I mean, how many people actually get to see that happen up close? It was truly amazing until I realized there was glass everywhere and I began to wonder what to do next. You see, I was responsible for the facility and fixtures.

That basketball goal was 22 years old. In consulting with an equipment supply company representative, I was told that incident should never happen again. Backboards are made differently now. They are built to resist these kinds of accidents. Even if the new backboard shattered one day, no glass should ever fall from the frame. Amazing.

What happened after that in the game you asked? Well, it was fourth quarter and with glass on the court and only one functioning goal, the team went to a half court routine to finish the event but it put a quick ending to the evening. In the aftermath, the floor was quickly cleaned and within a day or two a side goal was switched in place of the broken one to make the gym useable until all of the estimates and repairs could be made. 

Yes, something that took seconds to transpire left a few weeks worth of cleanup and repair. But we not only replaced that goal, we updated its mate as well and took the opportunity to refurbish the rest of our aging equipment too. Now we are better than ever. Funny how one incident can cause you to look around you more closely and identify things that need to be changed. 

Was it inconvenient? Yes. Was it costly? Yes. Was it worth it? Most definitely.

Our spiritual life is very similar. Our spiritual backboard is right there, taking slams daily. In general, it holds up very well under pressure; however, every now and again, we take that one hit that shatters our psyche. We feel splintered, fragmented. Sometimes, what’s left is a gaping hole. The frame is intact but what’s left seems useless and irreparable.

However, as the scripture states we are not crushed or left to despair. We are certainly not abandoned or destroyed. God is there to help us put things back together … stronger than ever. 

The next time you feel “hard pressed on every side” and you get that slam dunk against your soul that shatters and shakes you to the core, call on God to guide you through replacing not only what is broken but rejuvenating other parts as well. 

“’Lord, help!’ they cried in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.”    Psalm 107:19