Playing Hurt!

John Clardy

 

"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win." – Roger Bannister, runner

 

1 Peter 4:12-14

12         Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

13         But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

14         If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

 

The title and thought for this message came from a different source than usual – a country music song. Yes, I listen to some Country music and possibly you may not agree with that. But I have learned that not everything that is labeled bad is bad, and not everything labeled good is good. 

 

That is where we need the ability to discern good from evil.  It is the reason I have a problem with a list of dos and don’ts in our Christianity!  The problem is that you can never have a big enough list to cover everything that you are going face in this life. At some point, something is going to arise that is not on your list.

 

The Pharisees were always trying to add to the list to cover every little detail of life and they ended up placing burdens upon men that were too heavy to handle.   Just recently, I received my new ministerial manual from the organization I belong to.  It seems to get bigger every year with new resolutions and amendments.  Someone once observed that if it kept growing at the rate it was, it would not be long before it was larger than the Bible.

 

You may think I am rambling a little, but maybe the Holy Spirit wanted me to tell you that. Now, let me get down off my soap box and back to the reason for this message, it came from a song on a CD that I received as a Christmas gift. It is a song by Heartland entitled, “Play Hurt”.

 

Verse 1 tells of an athlete watching his team lose while he sits injured on the bench.  When no one is left to replace a teammate that has fouled our, the coach asks if he can go back in the game.  Even though he is hurt the player goes back into the game because he remembers an old sign hanging in his high school gym, “Never give up! Winners never quit! Quitters never win!”

 

Verse 2 moves to the real game of life and the heartbreak and the heartache that comes with it.  The young man thinks he has met the girl of his dreams, only to be rejected by her.  He thinks he will never laugh or smile again!  But he finally realizes life must go on, that you can’t sit around moping and waiting for things to mend on their own.

 

Chorus      Sometimes you’ve gotta suck it up

                  Bite down on the bullet, Don’t let nobody know it

                  Wrap it up, Walk it off, Tough it out,

                  Dust off the dirt           

                  Sometimes you gotta play hurt

 

Life is tough!  Life is sometimes unfair!  There will be troubles!  There will be tragedy! There will be treachery! But you have the choice to mope or hope!  You can sit around feeling sorry for yourself and look for a pity party to attend, or you can get over it! Suck it up! Walk it off! Dust off the dirt!  Get back in the game even if you have to play hurt!

 

A few years ago Terrell Davis took himself out of the biggest game of his life Super Bowl 32. The Denver Broncos star running back complained of a migraine headache during the first half. He left the field and went to the locker room. The fans couldn’t believe that he was gone. The second half came and TD ran through the tunnel and back out onto the field. His teammates swelled with pride to know he was there. The fans roared with applause to see him on the field. The Doctors all warned him not to play the rest of the game. Terrell Davis played hurt the rest of the game, but he ended up running for 157 yards, 3TD’s and the MVP trophy but most importantly, he helped his team win the Super Bowl.

 

Some things are worth playing for even if we have to play hurt.

 

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24         Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25         And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26         I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27         But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

 

Paul said there is an incorruptible crown that is worth the pain to gain!  Even when my mind and body are screaming out for me to quit, Paul said I bring those things under subjection.  I play hurt so that after I have helped others win the prize, I myself will not end up a loser!

 

If you have fallen today get up!  If something has hurt you, get over it!  If someone has wounded you with their words or actions, walk it off!  If the devil has attacked you, shake it off! 

 

Heaven is worth fighting for!  It is worth a little pain and heartache down here!  Yes, we are going to get knocked down put we must get back up!  Winners never quit!

 

Sometimes the only difference between winning and losing is refusing to quit!  Sometimes the difference between being saved or lost is playing hurt. Sometimes the difference in being righteous or unrighteous is getting back up!

 

Proverbs 24:16   For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in {time of} calamity.            (NAS)

 

Professional athletes struggle through the pain and play hurt for a medal or trophy that is corruptible, that can be stolen or tarnished.  We are playing for something that is eternal and can never be taken away!

 

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

17         For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

18         While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 

We have to play hurt through Trouble: the normal difficulties of life -The bills that have to be paid, the minor ailments that we face the stuff of life, the daily grind.

 

We have to play through Tragedy: the unexpected and often unexplainable things of life - The death of a child or spouse, the loss of a home due to fire – flood – financial crisis, the loss of health or the ability to generate income for your family.

 

We have to play through Treachery: the times in life attacks are plotted and planned against us to ruin our reputation or destroy us emotional, physically or spiritually.

 

Four Biblical Examples:

 

Jacob:              Hurt himself with his own ambition

                        Liar, cheater, con artist

                       

But even though he could have let his past pain destroy him, when he could have run away like before, he faced up to his failures.  It cost him, he limped away from that encounter. He played hurt the rest of his life, but God changed his name and his nature.

 

Genesis 32:28    And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

 

Joseph:             Had a dream from God

                        Was hated by his brothers for his dream

Thrown in a pit by his brothers

Sold into slavery

Reported as dead to his father

Falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife

Falsely imprisoned

Forgotten by the kings servants

 

But Joseph played through his hurt!  The prize was worth the pain to him!  The dream was worth the demands that were placed upon him!                                                       

 

Genesis 50:20    But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

 

Job:                  Loved God - Hated evil                      

                        Was attacked by satan

                        Lost all his possessions

                        Lost all of his children

                        Lost his wife   

                        Lost his health

                        Lost his friends

                        Never lost his integrity

 

Job 1:20-22

20         Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

21         And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

22         In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

 

Job could have given in to despair when his children were tragically taken from him but he didn’t. He played hurt.  He could have done what his wife suggested and cursed God and died but he didn’t! He played hurt!  He could have become discouraged when his friends accused him of sin in his life but he didn’t.  He played hurt!

 

Because Job played hurt his end was seven times greater than his beginning!

 

 

Jesus:               Born to die

                        Born in a manger

                        Had to flee to Egypt from Herod

                        Hated by religious leaders

                        Was persecuted for doing good

                        Misunderstood by disciples

                        Betrayed by a friend

                        Crucified unjustly

 

Jesus could have quit at any time.  He could have refused to suffer and been well within His rights as God.  He could have destroyed those who stood against Him.  He could have called 10,000 angels.  He could have refused the cross!  But he played hurt!

 

Isaiah 53:4-6

4          Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5          But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6          All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 

In the book of Hebrews the writer uses the imagery of the Olympic Games as an allegory for the Christian faith.  He places the Christian in a stadium full of witnesses that are watching the game that is being played out before them.  These witnesses are those who have already played the game and have received their reward.

 

Hebrews 12:1-2

1          Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2          Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

           

I remember something I witnessed on the news after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.  A little black lady was clutching a few pictures and personal belongings. She had obviously lost everything. While waiting to be evacuated she was interviewed by a reporter that asked her how she was coping with her loss. I will never forget her answer, “God brought me to it, and God will bring me through it!”  She was hurt, but she was still playing!

 

Trouble will come!  Tragedy will strike!  Treachery will arise! Play Hurt! Don’t back down, give up, or give in. Praise Him in the storm! You may have to limp back onto the field but do it. There is something worth playing for.  The church is counting on you.  God is counting on you!  Every saint that has made it ahead of you is pulling for you and cheering you on.  Jesus Himself is saying, “You can make it!  I’m going to help you make it!”

 

Isaiah 40:29-31

29         He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30         Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31         But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.