Tiger's Troubles

I have not been a big fan of Tiger Woods. In fact, I haven’t even been a little fan of Tiger Woods (except when he competes for the U.S.) There are several reasons for this, not least, that I frequently root for underdogs.

But it is hard for me to root against Tiger today. Starting with his infidelities in 2009, followed by his divorce in 2010, and now his major health struggles, his soaring career has been grounded. It was painful watching this golfing Superman wince in pain as he hit mediocre shot after mediocre shot in the recent PGA Championship. Tiger has not won a major title since 2008 and not any kind of title this year. Last week after he missed the cut in the PGA, he announced that he would take the rest of the year off to try to heal his troubled back.

Tiger is experiencing one of life’s basic truths—life is incredibly humbling. Some years ago my brother had a friend who was going through some very rocky times. In his pain this friend complained, “I thought God wouldn’t give me more than I can handle.” My brother wisely responded, “I hate to disagree with you but I think that is exactly what God does do – he gives us more than we can handle to teach us to depend on Him.”

Life is supposed to be too much for all of us. That is why Jesus said: Blessed are the poor in spirit. As Evelyn de Wall has written, a poor spirit is the first step toward transformation:

It is unfortunate that humility is a concept which has become so unattractive, and carries associations of low self-esteem, for in fact it’s true meaning lies in the proper sense of self. It means knowing and accepting my limitations, and not denying them: I am not in charge; I am not the ultimate source of wisdom. I’m not self-sufficient; I cannot manage on my own. When I admit that God is in charge I’m willing and ready to change, probably time and time again.

When the Apostle Paul encountered crushing circumstances that he could not pray away, he heard Jesus say: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in [your] weakness.” As a result, Paul could proclaim: Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God wants to teach all of us how to delight in our weaknesses as we lean on his strength. He wants us to discover his complete sufficiency for any of life’s challenges.