"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

 

33,643 career points. 2007-2008 NBA MVP. 5-time NBA champion. 2-time Finals MVP. 2-time USA Gold Medalist. 1997 Slam Dunk champion. 18-time All Star. 4-time All-Star MVP. 2-time scoring champion (81 points in a game and 60 or more points six times). He even scored 60 points in the last game he ever played! It’s safe to say that God gave Kobe Bryant the ability to play the game of basketball.

He had the determination, drive, work ethic, passion, and desire to be great. He strived for excellence every day in his preparation by working out at 5 a.m. and eating healthy. He humbled himself to recognize that he wasn’t the perfect basketball player (by the way, no one’s perfect) and he began to work hard in practices, games, and even in workouts when others wouldn’t. In addition, he would work on the strong and weak points of his game, adding something new every season. He would watch film of himself, his peers, or the players that came before him, and he would ask those same players for advice to help him become the best basketball player he could be.

Bryant once spoke to the University of Alabama football team saying, “If I’m playing against a weaker opponent and I start coasting, I’m doing nothing but building bad habits myself. If you want to play at an excellent level, if you want to do something excellent, you have to be excellent all the time. It’s a way of life. When excellence become a habit, that becomes who you are.”

Every day in this journey called “life,” we will face trials and tribulations, success and testimonies; but what we are doing to overcome them? How can we avoid resting on our laurels while striving for excellence?

We all understand that no one is perfect. The bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All we have to do is repent. Because of God’s grace, He allowed His son, Jesus, to die for us. One thing that we must do as Christians is strive to be perfected by the Holy Spirit daily. How can we do this?

1. If you are not saved, repent of your sins and totally surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Allow Him to be the Lord of your life.
2.  “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Luke 10:27). If you love God with all your heart, you will desire to please God. As a result of your love for God, it will translate into loving others.
3. Have a strong desire to stop doing what you used to do and desire to what God wants you to do. Ask God for help and He will help you. John 14:13 tells us that, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.”
4. Commit to growing in your relationship with God each day through prayer (communication between you and God) and by reading/studying the bible. Reading and studying God’s word will not only provide you with Biblical instructions on how to live as a Christian but it will also help you to grow to be more like Jesus. This is our ultimate goal as Christians.
5. Allow the Holy Spirit, who lives in us upon salvation, to lead and guide you as you go throughout the day. Understand how important it is for you to “be sober and vigilant.” In other words, having a clear, mind, being alert to God’s voice so that you will “not be ignorant to the enemy’s devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).
6. As a result of your relationship with God, the Holy Spirit will begin producing the fruits of the Spirit in you. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Life is a journey. We may go through ups and downs but God is there for us. God doesn’t want us to perish but have everlasting life. We can’t allow the things that are going on in this world to affect how we think and live. We have to think “kingdom over culture.” The awesome thing about God is that “He will never leave us nor forsake us” (Deuteronomy 31:8). We may slip up, but we must repent and live the life that God has called you to live.

Always remember that God wants prune us, shape us, and mold us so that we can be more like Him. The things that we go through in life help us to grow in our faith. Enjoy this wonderful life that God has given you. Grow in your walk with Jesus. Make His name known to people all over the world so that they can know Him also. Find an awesome church with has a pastor who preaches the truth in love and doesn’t look to preach what you want to hear. And find people who want to experience life together in Christian community in small groups.

Every day, we should always look to grow as individuals and be the people that God has created us to be. Recognize your need for Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our life. Center around godly people who have your best interest at heart (you are who you hang around). Stay focused on growing in your relationship with God. In addition, it is so important for us to enjoy the process of life as we grow as Christians. No matter the ups and downs we face, we are not alone with God on our side.

In an interview with Coach Saban of the University of Alabama, Kobe Bryant said, “It seems like this generation is really concerned with the end result of things versus the understanding/appreciating the journey to get there which is the most important thing. There are going to be trials and tribulations that are going to come along with it. You have successes; you have failures, but it is all a part of the end game. What I see from a lot of players is that they’ll try, they’ll push and then all of the sudden they get hit with some adversity and they say ‘Nah, let me do something else’ instead of staying with it. Just stay with it. A lot of guys just give up on it because it’s not happening now.” We must realize is that regardless of our situation “all things work together for our good” as the Body of Christ (Romans 8:28). As Christians, we are promised that we will face difficulty and persecution (2 Timothy 2:12, 2 Timothy 3:12) and we can’t allow those tough circumstances to cause us to give up on God, and throw in the towel. Persecution and the struggles of life helps us to build character and strength. They also help our faith to grow. James 1:2-3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

The end result for all Christians must be going to heaven and witnessing to others so that they can know Jesus Christ and do the same. Always remember that there are no shortcuts to heaven. We are saved by grace, not works. Therefore, we must love God. With all of our love for God, the works follow. Enjoy the process, enjoy your walk and relationship with God and strive for excellence daily!

Each day brings an opportunity to grow.

 

Matthew 6:33

Galatians 6:9

Ephesians 4:22-24

Romans 8:8

John 14:26

Colossians 3:17, 23-24

1 Corinthians 9:24-27