Unpack This...Playing In The Super BowlShembull

Trust Drives Everything With hard work, talent, execution, and teamwork, the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LII, beating the New England Patriots 41-33. One of the key elements that drove them toward success was trust. The players began the offseason by trusting their hard work would pay off. They trusted the coach’s weekly game plan and their teammates to do their job so plays would be executed properly. They also trusted their quarterback, Nick Foles, and he in turn trusted his wide receiver to catch the ball, his offensive lineman to protect him, and his running back to find the holes. Head coach Doug Pederson trusted in his offense for play-calling, and in his defense for determining key decisions in 4th down scenarios. The reality is, teams can have talented athletes and an accomplished coach, but without trust, they won’t win at the highest level. In our own lives, trust is rooted in many of our decisions and plays a part in our emotions. By trusting in our abilities at work, we gain confidence in our job performance. Our marriages must be built on trust to live in harmony and friendships thrive when we trust in each other’s support. Ultimately, trust is most powerful when placed in Jesus. We trust our eternity is secure…His plan is the best…and our sins are forgiven. We trust that good comes from difficult situations, and His strength gets us through anything. Psalm 37:5 encourages us to “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.” Whenever we allow disappointment, anger, worry, doubt, and discouragement to creep in, we’re expressing a lack of trust in God. Instead of counting on Him to deliver and strengthen us, we’re placing our hope in the wrong things. Isaiah 26:3-4 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Today as we think about this year’s Super Bowl matchup, and the importance of both teams operating out of trust, let’s consider our own need to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I know You’re good and faithful. Help me remain rooted in a deep trust in You, so when life gets tough, I rely on You. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.