Chasing Reality

USA vs Portugal

I had the privilege of attending a US national team soccer game last week.  It was a cool experience, but one thing stood out to me above everything else.  They had a message posted in the stadium and on some video walls at the block party, Never Chase Reality.  That got me thinking way beyond soccer.

The US soccer team is lacking in many ways compared to many other countries in the world.  It is obvious, nothing new, and expected.  One thing that sets them apart is their desire to rise above expectations and succeed even when the reality says they are shut out.  They lost the game but that wasn’t the end.

We can put that same mentality into our everyday lives if we choose to.  If we are merely chasing what we see, our reality, we will never achieve more than that.  We will stay stuck in our own little world and never go past its boundaries.  I lived that way for almost my entire life.  I had given up on being anything greater than a father, machinist, and husband.  I allowed myself to feel stuck in the rut on the road that is my life. 

I hadn’t heard this slogan, but I decided to chase something bigger in my life, something better, something bigger than me.  I started changing habits, doing things I was never interested in before, and reacting to others differently.  I quit worrying about how others perceived me and focused on finding my true purpose in life.  It is quite the winding road, and frustrating at times, but looking back, I am in a much better place than I used to be.  I am chasing a dream and trying to build up others on my way.

I don’t have it all figured out quite yet, and I honestly don’t even know where I will end up.  I still choose to persevere and stay on the path I am being led on.  It would be much simpler for me to go back into my shell and stay where I am, but I know I am not supposed to stay there forever. 

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

I feel this verse portrays this way of life.  By not focusing on the things we see, we are putting faith in something we cannot see.  In doing so we are able to be led to something greater for each of our lives.

Never chasing reality is something I was already living but had no words for.  It is powerful and life changing when fully applied to each of our lives.  I suggest you take a deep dive into yourself and see if you are still chasing reality.