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If you are an NBA fan, or just happened to know a player for the Brooklyn Nets called Jeremy Lin, he is hurt again. This time in a season opener and this injury could potentially endanger his career as a pro basketball player.

If you know him, you probably know that he is a devout Christian who never hesitate to share his faith. Further, he tries to walk the talk by conducting his life according to the faith. But he still faces lots of unfair criticism and discriminations. It certainly doesn't help when he has suffered lots of injuries throughout his career. The question is, does living a good Christian life and prosperity in life correlate to each other? If not, why do we insist on living a life that honors God instead of chasing after personal interests?

After the news of Jeremy's latest injury came out, I read some angry fans commenting that he shouldn't trust in God anymore. To answer the person who made that suggestion, I would like to ask: Do those who don't believe in God free from injuries, sickness, depression, death, and other challenges in life? If a person's faith is based on whether God will help an individual prosper according to his/her standard of success, a person like that is his/her own god because he is judging everything according to his/her own standard. For people like that, it is true that they don't need God because they only care about themselves while God loves and cares for everyone ever and will exist in this world. For those who feel that they don't need God, they claim to take full responsibilities in life. If they strive in their term, they would love to give all the credits to themselves. In contrast, if things don't happen according to their plan, they shouldn't blame on fate or even God if they don't, they shouldn't even blame on anyone else.

Apart from these people, Jeremy Lin, and other Christians know that it is impossible for us to take the full responsibility for anyone's life. There are just too many variables in life that are out of our hands. We know that God is always in control for He has the highest authority over all creation. Trusting in Him gives us peace and joy even things don't go our ways. That's the context of Jeremiah 29:11 which God told those Jews who were captured by the Babylonians that: "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV) Jeremy and other followers of Christ know that everything God has in store for us is to benefit us, even challenges in life are to build us up. It is fully understandable that we need time to recover when crisis strikes, and God welcomes our complaints. In fact, two-thirds of the Psalms are wailings and complains to Him. But the sooner we can refocus our trust in God, the faster we will regain our peace and joy. That's the promise from God. (Cf. Matthew 11:28-30)

Share with your partner how God had helped you when you were once weary and burdened. Pray for each other that we can cast our worries to God faster each time.