The Slump: A Mom's Perspective

Throughout Zachary’s slump in baseball, my heart ached. Although relatively short-lived, the slump seemed like months. A few difficult games and practices can easily cause all accomplishments from the season to be overlooked.

My son understandably struggled the previous spring as a new coach-pitch player, but now, a year later, he had been hitting almost every ball pitched to him. Why would God allow this sudden switch back to his previous batting difficulties? I observed Zachary’s discouragement and frustration, wanting so badly to fix it for him.

A knot in my stomach would form as he stepped on deck, preparing for his turn to bat.

“Come on, baby, you can do this!” I cheered him on.

“Come on, God, you can let him hit again… please.” I pleaded with the Lord.

In the midst of his struggles – and mine too with nervousness from a maternal desire to see my son overcome his slump – my faith was stretched. While not comprehending what God was doing, I was certain, however, that He was at work.

In the middle of an intense season of baseball, this recreational sport can seem deceptively big not only for eight year-old boys, but also for coaches and parents. Maintaining a proper perspective can be difficult.

During a Sunday morning sermon on the day of a tournament game, our pastor preached from 2 Corinthians 5. My eyes glanced to the previous chapter, and I began reading.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

With much clarity, God reminded me of His perspective. Recreational baseball is simply a fun pastime, and a slump in this sport is merely a light affliction.

The “things which are seen”, including hits, runs, and catches, are neatly tallied in a book and used in part to assign All Star status at the end of the season. Yet they alone are temporary and relatively unimportant in the whole scheme of life.

Whether due to injury, illness, or a slump, any or all potential accolades can quickly be taken away from a player. No matter how far in life baseball takes a person, his success in the sport will eventually fade away.

What cannot be taken away? The far more exceeding and eternal!

The spiritual maturity and character building Zachary achieved as a result of his slump cannot be eradicated and in fact, although unseen by most, holds much more importance in his young life. All of the players, coaches, parents, and fans saw Zachary’s homerun, as well as the outs he made as catcher. We all cheered him on, and I praised God for giving him this success.

But the prayers I listened to him utter and the faith I saw strengthened even when God answered “no” far surpass the homerun and catches. The spiritual lessons he learned through his struggles and the power given to him by God to overcome those difficulties greatly exceeds his baseball statistics.

While Zachary just missed taking home the championship title and a spot on the All Star’s team, my son has been rewarded with a far more exceeding and eternal prize - one not seen by human eyes, yet one that will carry him farther in life than baseball alone ever will.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
2 Corinthians 5:7