How's your F. A. C. ???

In the sport of football there is a statistic that fans don't always find in the program or even on websites, but you better believe that scouts, coaches, general managers and owners are very aware of it. It's called "Yards After Contact" or Y.A.C. This statistic is valuable because it is a telling sign that separates the average players from the tough ones after they have gotten the hand off from the QB or caught the pass from him.
What do you do with the ball after you have it on your possession?

You see, almost anybody can run towards a goal line when nobody is challenging them or catch a pass when they aren't afraid that somebody is going to pop them as soon as the ball gets to them. The really good ones are the ones that aren't easy to bring down. You won't find them running out of bounds when the ball is in their hands. As a matter of fact many of them look forward to contact so they can be the one dishing out the hard hit (See pic of Sweetness...A.K.A. Walter Payton, and Earl Campbell of the Houston Oilers is another guy that comes to mind).

Recently I ran across a quote that drives this point home to us in life..." Opposition is a natural part of life. Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition - such as lifting weights - we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity." -Stephen R. Covey

How silly would it be for us to step onto any competitive field or court and not expect some strong opposition from our opponent? Will we ever get stronger or better at what we are trying to accomplish in life if we don't anticipate opposition or avoid contact with it? Playing it safe because we don't want to work or think harder eventually stunts any growth potential you do have (And God has put that potential in all of us). The people that grow are the people that anticipate, and yes even embrace adversity and challenges in life. It doesn't catch them by surprise. When it comes they don't look at it as an obstacle that can stop them but an opportunity to get better by overcoming it. They don't back down, quit or run out of bounds to avoid it.

How about your faith? When things get tough and the adversity comes, does your faith rise up in you because you know and believe that it's just a test to help you get stronger in your relationship with God or are you looking for the sideline? Like the runner in the open field, or the receiver with no one guarding him, it's easy to just go to church on Sunday and avoid applying your faith in the world Monday - Saturday. Are you running out of bounds during the week or do you believe that God and the Holy Spirit in you is strong enough to allow you to endure the hits and keep moving forward? Anybody can call themselves a Christian, just like anybody can call themselves a running back or a receiver. You're still on the team, but what do you do with the ball (Your faith) when the opposition (Satan and this world) sees you are trying to make progress for the Christian team and attempts to bring you down, discourage you and render you ineffective for the Kingdom? So a better question might be... How's your F.A.C. ??? That's Faith After Contact?

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4