My dad taught me chess at a young age. I beat many casual players because I knew the moves and a few strategies. Control the center. Develop the pieces early. Utilize open files and attack isolated pawns. These strategies conquered most opponents.
Later, I began competing in chess tournaments. I played on the high school chess team. It was a great time with my friends Ken, Henry, Vic, Jen, and of course my teacher, Mr. Tallent. It was a fun time.
The first three years were fraught with miserable losses. I’d gain a good position, make a horrible mistake, and then loose the game. I read books about chess, studied the games of others, and practiced every day after school. Still, I kept coming up short.
I’d beat myself up mentally for the sporadic play. What was the problem? Why could I beat the most difficult opponents to find myself the next day, loosing a game with the most mediocre chap? Why couldn’t I figure it out, or get my act together?
The truth is that nothing was wrong. I had entered a level of competition unprecedented in my life. My opponents studied their chess books and played their practice games too. They were good and just as capable of winning as me.
This scenario paints a spiritual picture. Once we decide we really want to turn our lives around and gain spiritual health, it’s like we’ve entered a whole new level of competition. Now we’re competing and playing a spiritual game that’s sporadic. Great wins. Horrible losses. Our temptation is to resign playing at this level of competition, but we must never do so because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 12). We’re gonna lose and it’s okay. We keep playing, and let’s do so because we remember that God thinks we’re more important than our performance.
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