Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. John 4:6
Yesterday during workouts I was walking around the weight room and watching the boys lift weights. Toward the end of the workout, we had the boys do a drill that requires them to squat and jump for a thirty second period. We want them to perform the drill with the correct technique for the entire thirty seconds, regardless of how they feel. As each group rotated around to this particular station and performed the jumps, I noticed a common trend among many of the players. At the beginning of the drill each of the boys performed jumps with a high level of energy and required very few technique corrections. However, as the repetitions added up, many of the boys completely gave up on the proper technique and just survived until the whistle blew. I thought about a few things while I watched and tried to use the time to teach them each a small but valuable lesson. I told a group of them that what separates the average teams from the great teams and what separates a great player from a bench warmer is not always natural talent.
Many of the activities the players do during workouts or at practice can be enjoyable if they are feeling good at the time and only do a few repetitions. The tough part comes when they are tired, sore, and hot. The player I am always looking for is the young man who can continue to do a skill properly when his body is telling him to stop. They must develop the mental toughness to keep doing everything properly even when they are tired. In the fourth quarter of a game, when everyone is tired and beat up, they will continue to execute the techniques of their position at a high level. The game would not be won by the player who has the most stars beside his name or who can bench press the largest amount of weight. The game would be won by the team of players who continue to perform the skills necessary to win, although they are equally as tired as their opponent.
The older I get the more I notice how many people cannot continue to perform when they are tired. They may be tired physically, mentally, or emotionally but they give up on the proper techniques of life at the first sign of difficulty. They also give up on becoming what God has planned for their life, now and in the future. During Jesus’ life on the earth he experienced many of the same daily difficulties as we do today. I am sure there were days when his body was tired, maybe his feet hurt from walking all day, he was emotionally exhausted from being around so many people, and he just felt like going to sleep. However, as we look at John 4:6 we notice that Jesus was tired from his journey and sat down beside a well. He was probably glad to have a few minutes to rest his legs and refresh his body with the water from the well. But, after resting for only a few minutes, a Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. I would have probably spoken to her and greeted her with my normal, “How are you doing,” but would have been too tired to change her life. Jesus, tired as he was, did much more than speak to her, but he changed her life for eternity.
Today I wanted to remind each of you that God has given you the strength to keep going and that you can do it when you are tired. He places you in those situations where you are tired but have to keep going for a few reasons. I think he wants you to prove to yourself that you can and he wants you to trust in him for the strength.
Chad
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