I heard someone say the other day, “If you don’t know it is NFL Draft weekend here in Nashville, you must be living under a rock!”  Yes, the NFL Draft festivities started this past Thursday!  32 teams were selecting athletes from a crowded field of hopefuls!  I did my research and learned that there are about 3,500 eligible players for about 254 spots plus a few free agents.  If you caught any of the draft rounds, you saw the excited athletes surrounded by an entourage of cheering fans and family as their names were called.  For these athletes, the years of hard work, training and preparation, topped off by their performance at the NFL combine, has caught the attention of the decision-makers for at least one of these teams.  With all of the fanfare, even with those who give God praise and thanks for being drafted, there are over 3,000 athletes who don’t get chosen.  What about them?  And what about those aging out of the NFL at the ripe old age of 30?  Both of these groups are impacted right in the midst of the excitement of this draft weekend. 

For the undrafted, they ask “What now?”  For those aging out, they also ask “What now?”  Fortunately, the answer is the same for all:  “Trust God!”  Or as the scripture so eloquently teaches, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

There are times when we have to face the truth of whether or not we truly trust God.  This applies to everyone involved and affected by the NFL Draft Weekend events.  It applies to all of us, too!  We all can probably recall a pivotal moment in our lives where we had a similar draft weekend-like experience, and our faith was tested.  Maybe it was receiving an admissions letter from a college…or a denial letter.  Perhaps it was an audition, or a job interview, or a promotion—and whether or not we got what we were going for made all the difference to us.  In moments of great joy and in moments of uncertainty and insecurity, we are called to trust God…either way. 

Some of us are in the midst of our Draft Weekend-like experience, and we are waiting for our names to be called.  Some of us see it coming in the near future, and our faith will be tested.  Whichever it is for you, and  whichever way it works out, remember this one important lesson:  Trust God.  No matter what it looks like in the moment, trust God.