WEBVTT
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Have you ever noticed the better you get at golf, the fewer shots you actually think are good?
00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:16.399
I was playing golf the other day and um I hit an approach shot to the green, and the moment I made contact with the ball, I was already disappointed.
00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:24.399
It barely trickled on the green, and uh I started questioning my my very existence as a human being.
00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:36.240
Um I kind of got slumped shoulder and kind of kicking rocks around as I slowly kind of made my way up the green, and and I was trying to convince myself that we all fall short of the glory of a tap in.
00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:42.640
But as I was doing that, the playing partner I was playing with said, Hey man, nice shot.
00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:49.600
And I was kind of taken aback a little bit because at first I thought he was sarcastic, but then I realized he wasn't.
00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:51.920
And I smiled and I thanked him.
00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:56.719
But but in my head, I was thinking, what game are you playing?
00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:58.479
But then it hit me.
00:00:58.719 --> 00:00:59.920
He wasn't wrong.
00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.880
From his perspective, it was a great shot.
00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:06.640
If he did that exact shot, obviously he'd have been thrilled.
00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:11.359
But because my expectations had changed over the years, I was disappointed.
00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:13.439
And that's when I realized something.
00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:16.640
A nice shot is completely relative.
00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.120
The compliment wasn't wrong, we were just using different metrics.
00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:25.519
Hey, stick around and um I'll tell you what I learned through this experience.
00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:40.560
Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Shanktification.
00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.239
My name is Mark, and thanks for joining me.
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:46.319
Golf has a funny way of doing that, teaching us something on the course.
00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:53.439
When when we first started playing golf, when I first started playing golf, just just getting the ball airborne felt like a major victory.
00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:59.280
And then it became breaking 100, and then breaking 90, and then eventually maybe breaking 80.
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:09.680
Eventually, a shot that would have made me fist pump five years ago barely earns a shrug today because progress changes our expectations.
00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:13.439
And and that's a good thing, until it isn't, right?
00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:18.960
Because sometimes our growing expectations make us forget how far we've actually come.
00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:22.639
I think we do the same thing in our spiritual lives.
00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:30.639
We look at someone who's been following Jesus for 30 years and think, man, I'll never be able to pray like that.
00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:40.879
Or I'll never have the kind of faith that they do, or I'll never be able to memorize that kind of scripture, or I'll just, I'll just never have that much faith.
00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:50.159
Meanwhile, somebody that's new to following Christ is looking at us saying, Man, I hope my faith is anywhere in the ballpark of them someday.
00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:52.479
Because again, it's all relative.
00:02:52.719 --> 00:03:03.919
The danger is that we spend so much time looking at people ahead of us that sometimes we completely miss the people that are behind us, being encouraged by our example.
00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:10.960
And the Apostle Paul addresses this very thing in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 12.
00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:19.759
He says, But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.240
And man, that is such a strong statement.
00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:28.560
Paul doesn't say comparison is merely unhelpful, he says it's foolish.
00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:30.400
And why does he say that?
00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:34.000
Because comparison gives us the wrong measuring stick.
00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:39.680
If we compare ourselves to someone further along, we become discouraged.
00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:40.639
We've been there.
00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:45.360
But if we compare ourselves to someone struggling more than we are, we become prideful.
00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:46.960
And we've probably all been there.
00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:49.199
And neither one of us tells us the truth.
00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:51.360
Only Christ is the standard.
00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:54.479
And golf reminds me of this every single round.
00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:59.120
A scratch golfer can hit one to 20 feet and think, hmm, terrible swing.
00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:07.520
Meanwhile, a 15 handicap is watching him make that same exact shot, and he's thinking to himself, man, if if if I could just do that once today, I'd be ecstatic.
00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:09.360
And neither golfer is lying.
00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:12.800
They're just simply standing in different places.
00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:14.800
And that's true in life too.
00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:18.319
Maybe you're frustrated because you aren't where you want to be spiritually.
00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:25.199
But what if someone who met you five years ago would hardly recognize the person you've become?
00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:36.879
What if God has been transforming you little by little, but you've been so focused on the next step that you've forgotten to celebrate his faithfulness in the last one?
00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:43.600
Sometimes we become so aware of what still needs work that we forget to thank God for what he's already done.
00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:46.560
And there's another side to this observation, too.
00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:52.160
Maybe someone has told you lately, I really admire blank in you.
00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:57.680
Or um, I'm really impressed with the way you handle blank.
00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:02.639
And you think, man, if you only knew how much I still struggle.
00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:03.920
Of course you do.
00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:04.879
We all do.
00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.680
But don't dismiss the encouragement.
00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:13.360
God often uses imperfect people to encourage other imperfect people.
00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:16.240
And no one is asking us to be perfect.
00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:20.560
They're simply watching someone who's a few steps further down the path.
00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:23.360
And and here's what I don't want us to miss.
00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:26.000
We don't need to lower God's standards.
00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:31.519
We simply need to stop measuring our lives against everyone else's journey.
00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:38.560
God isn't asking us to become someone else, He's inviting us to keep becoming more like Christ.
00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.439
And that's a completely different scorecard.
00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:52.240
So the next time someone tells you, nice shot, maybe just smile, say thank you, and remember, they may be seeing something that you've just become blind to.
00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:55.519
And the same thing may be happening in your walk with Jesus.
00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:03.920
Someone else may see God's grace in your life long before you do, because a nice shot is completely relative.
00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:06.800
And maybe spiritual growth is too.
00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:11.759
Not because truth changes, but because perspective does.
00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:25.839
So keep your eyes on Jesus, encourage the people coming behind you, learn from the people ahead of you, and stop letting comparison steal the joy of the progress God has already made in your life.
00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:32.480
Because the goal was never to become one of them, the goal has always been to become more like him.
00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:34.240
Hey, my name is Mark.
00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.360
Thanks for listening.
00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:36.560
Thanks for watching.
00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:39.279
If you would share and subscribe, that would mean the world to me.
00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:40.720
I appreciate you guys.
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.079
And till next time, keep chasing better.
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:05.599
Have you ever noticed the better you get at golf, the fewer shots you actually think are good?
00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:16.399
I was playing golf the other day and um I hit an approach shot to the green, and the moment I made contact with the ball, I was already disappointed.
00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:24.399
It barely trickled on the green, and uh I started questioning my my very existence as a human being.
00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:36.240
Um I kind of got slumped shoulder and kind of kicking rocks around as I slowly kind of made my way up the green, and and I was trying to convince myself that we all fall short of the glory of a tap in.
00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:42.640
But as I was doing that, the playing partner I was playing with said, Hey man, nice shot.
00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:49.600
And I was kind of taken aback a little bit because at first I thought he was sarcastic, but then I realized he wasn't.
00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:51.920
And I smiled and I thanked him.
00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:56.719
But but in my head, I was thinking, what game are you playing?
00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:58.479
But then it hit me.
00:00:58.719 --> 00:00:59.920
He wasn't wrong.
00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.880
From his perspective, it was a great shot.
00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:06.640
If he did that exact shot, obviously he'd have been thrilled.
00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:11.359
But because my expectations had changed over the years, I was disappointed.
00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:13.439
And that's when I realized something.
00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:16.640
A nice shot is completely relative.
00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.120
The compliment wasn't wrong, we were just using different metrics.
00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:25.519
Hey, stick around and um I'll tell you what I learned through this experience.
00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:40.560
Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Shanktification.
00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.239
My name is Mark, and thanks for joining me.
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:46.319
Golf has a funny way of doing that, teaching us something on the course.
00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:53.439
When when we first started playing golf, when I first started playing golf, just just getting the ball airborne felt like a major victory.
00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:59.280
And then it became breaking 100, and then breaking 90, and then eventually maybe breaking 80.
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:09.680
Eventually, a shot that would have made me fist pump five years ago barely earns a shrug today because progress changes our expectations.
00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:13.439
And and that's a good thing, until it isn't, right?
00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:18.960
Because sometimes our growing expectations make us forget how far we've actually come.
00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:22.639
I think we do the same thing in our spiritual lives.
00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:30.639
We look at someone who's been following Jesus for 30 years and think, man, I'll never be able to pray like that.
00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:40.879
Or I'll never have the kind of faith that they do, or I'll never be able to memorize that kind of scripture, or I'll just, I'll just never have that much faith.
00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:50.159
Meanwhile, somebody that's new to following Christ is looking at us saying, Man, I hope my faith is anywhere in the ballpark of them someday.
00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:52.479
Because again, it's all relative.
00:02:52.719 --> 00:03:03.919
The danger is that we spend so much time looking at people ahead of us that sometimes we completely miss the people that are behind us, being encouraged by our example.
00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:10.960
And the Apostle Paul addresses this very thing in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 12.
00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:19.759
He says, But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.240
And man, that is such a strong statement.
00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:28.560
Paul doesn't say comparison is merely unhelpful, he says it's foolish.
00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:30.400
And why does he say that?
00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:34.000
Because comparison gives us the wrong measuring stick.
00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:39.680
If we compare ourselves to someone further along, we become discouraged.
00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:40.639
We've been there.
00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:45.360
But if we compare ourselves to someone struggling more than we are, we become prideful.
00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:46.960
And we've probably all been there.
00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:49.199
And neither one of us tells us the truth.
00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:51.360
Only Christ is the standard.
00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:54.479
And golf reminds me of this every single round.
00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:59.120
A scratch golfer can hit one to 20 feet and think, hmm, terrible swing.
00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:07.520
Meanwhile, a 15 handicap is watching him make that same exact shot, and he's thinking to himself, man, if if if I could just do that once today, I'd be ecstatic.
00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:09.360
And neither golfer is lying.
00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:12.800
They're just simply standing in different places.
00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:14.800
And that's true in life too.
00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:18.319
Maybe you're frustrated because you aren't where you want to be spiritually.
00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:25.199
But what if someone who met you five years ago would hardly recognize the person you've become?
00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:36.879
What if God has been transforming you little by little, but you've been so focused on the next step that you've forgotten to celebrate his faithfulness in the last one?
00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:43.600
Sometimes we become so aware of what still needs work that we forget to thank God for what he's already done.
00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:46.560
And there's another side to this observation, too.
00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:52.160
Maybe someone has told you lately, I really admire blank in you.
00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:57.680
Or um, I'm really impressed with the way you handle blank.
00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:02.639
And you think, man, if you only knew how much I still struggle.
00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:03.920
Of course you do.
00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:04.879
We all do.
00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.680
But don't dismiss the encouragement.
00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:13.360
God often uses imperfect people to encourage other imperfect people.
00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:16.240
And no one is asking us to be perfect.
00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:20.560
They're simply watching someone who's a few steps further down the path.
00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:23.360
And and here's what I don't want us to miss.
00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:26.000
We don't need to lower God's standards.
00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:31.519
We simply need to stop measuring our lives against everyone else's journey.
00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:38.560
God isn't asking us to become someone else, He's inviting us to keep becoming more like Christ.
00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.439
And that's a completely different scorecard.
00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:52.240
So the next time someone tells you, nice shot, maybe just smile, say thank you, and remember, they may be seeing something that you've just become blind to.
00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:55.519
And the same thing may be happening in your walk with Jesus.
00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:03.920
Someone else may see God's grace in your life long before you do, because a nice shot is completely relative.
00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:06.800
And maybe spiritual growth is too.
00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:11.759
Not because truth changes, but because perspective does.
00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:25.839
So keep your eyes on Jesus, encourage the people coming behind you, learn from the people ahead of you, and stop letting comparison steal the joy of the progress God has already made in your life.
00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:32.480
Because the goal was never to become one of them, the goal has always been to become more like him.
00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:34.240
Hey, my name is Mark.
00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.360
Thanks for listening.
00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:36.560
Thanks for watching.
00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:39.279
If you would share and subscribe, that would mean the world to me.
00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:40.720
I appreciate you guys.
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.079
And till next time, keep chasing better.
