When I played soft ball in high school, joked about playing “center bench” if we feared not starting in an upcoming game.
I was astonished to learn some players who helped the Cubs reach post season play might not be joining them on the field during the play offs. Can you imagine - sweating and bleeding for your team to help them reach a milestone season and then being taken off the roster?
Injury, illness, repeat errors, or other offenses usually land baseball players on the bench, but often in life there seems no logical explanation when we find ourselves sidelined.
Sometimes life can feel like you’ve been left to ride the pine. Like everybody else gets to play in the big game, while you watch from the dugout.
And it hurts.
It is painful to see others in the position we want, or to watch them moving up in the standings while we sit idle. It can be challenging to cheer for those who seem to be living our dreams. And it is definitely difficult to know exactly what our role is when we feel like we’ve been left to warm the bench.
Being benched often feels like one of life’s #MESSES. Click To Tweet
Being benched often feels like one of life’s MESSES. But God can use even those seemingly useless times to bring us one step closer to becoming a MASTERPIECE.
Any time we find ourselves sidelined in life, the first thing we ought to do is pray. Seek God’s guidance for our time out. Does He want us to move in a different direction? Would He like us to consider other options? How does He see us best using our time on the bench for His glory?
Then we can make a move to make the most of our time on the pine.
Today, I want to share with you three practical ways we can play “center bench” to the best of our ability.
- Hone - Sometimes being benched gives us the opportunity to hone our skills away from the spotlight. We can make mistakes and correct them when others aren’t looking at us through a magnifying glass. Then, when we get called back up to the big leagues, we’ll be better than they remembered.
- Encourage - Being benched gives us the opportunity to treat those still in the game the way we would want to be treated. With our intimate knowledge of the game, we can provide excellent, constructive feedback for those still playing. And we can be the loudest cheer leaders on the field. Rest assured, when you get back out there, those players will remember how you invested in them, and be more willing to do the same for you.
- Rest - Occasionally, we get called away from the game because we just need time off. Resting is not passive or pointless. Resting restores our resources and reminds us of what is really important. Resting allows injuries to heal and makes us stronger in the long run. Resting in Jesus refuels us for the next big game. God knows how hard we’ve worked. He sees us. He also knows how much we need to rest. And I don’t know about you, but with so many tasks on my to do list, I don’t ever feel like I can take a break. But God commands it. So don’t waste the opportunity He brings us to rest at center bench.
Make the most of “center bench” by honing your skills, encouraging others, and resting.
Make the most of “center bench” by honing your skills, encouraging others, and resting. Click To Tweet
Which of these strategies do you most need today?
Join me for the other great posts in this series:
Finding Strength to Finish Strong
7 Secrets to Success in Every Season
For more encouragement please join the discussions on these fabulous blog link ups - Suzanne Eller, Thought Provoking Thursday, Susan B. Mead, Faith Filled Friday, Grace and Truth, Faith and Fellowship Friday, Grace and Truth Friday, Good Morning Monday, Soul Survival, Monday Musings, Rah Rah Link Up, Tell His Story, Woman to Woman Wednesday, Women With Intention Wednesday, Sitting Among Friends, Word of God Speak, Testimony Tuesday.
What a positive and uplifting perspective! I especially love your emphasis on cheering from the bench!
Thanks, Michele! Sometimes it can be hard to cheer for those living your dreams. I had to silence my pride just yesterday and make myself speak from love instead.
Good advice! It’s not easy to be “sitting on the bench” but God can definitely work good through those times. I’ve just finished reading Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst and she writes about how we can feel “set aside” in those times but instead we should think of ourselves as “set apart” and look for God’s plan and what he wants to teach us.
Liz, I love this! It is a good word for me. I mostly love the “hone” point! I’m benched in a particular area of my life right now, and I have to admit that I’ve been thinking apocalyptically. You’ve reminded me that it may not be forever. I need to use this time to hone! Thank you!!!
So glad these words encouraged you! XO
Awesome threesome! I need rest:0)….xo
Me, too! XO
Loved this Liz!! Needed this as do many others I’m sure. Happy to share!
Thanks, Jill! I’ve been there. In fact I think I spend quite a bit of time there, so I have to keep reminding myself to make the most of it, to seek God’s will over my whining! Blessings!
I really really needed to read this today. I’ve been benched in one area of my life and I’ve spent the better part of a year pouting about it. Time to dust myself off and make better use of this time!! Thank you!!!
Oh Christa! I’m so sorry you’ve been feeling benched. But I pray God will lead you to making the most of it! XO
Such a great perspective, Liz! Thank you for this wisdom, sharing : )
First off, Liz, congrats to your dear Cubs … I hope you enjoy every second of the World Series! I love your point about using our time on the bench to encourage others … that can be hard, but it’s so beneficial to everyone involved! 🙂
Love it Liz! Sometimes we don’t take the opportunities God gives us to rest and hone our skills because we are too busy looking at what someone else is doing. What a wonderful way to remember that those times are a gift from Him, and we should welcome them. Thank you God for center bench moments!
It can be so hard to see them for that, though… And rest often seems counterintuitive while you’re there. Ahhhh… life is such a conundrum! XO
Love this sweet friend! It’s so true we can “make the most of our time on the pine” if we aren’t sitting there whining. Well, I had to add that because in the past I could be a whiner.
I’ve been through those times on the pine resting in Him and coming out stronger every single time.
Ohhhh, the whining… I’ve been there, too! XO
Liz, you’ve made some very valuable suggestions. It’s so tempting when we feel benched to get into self-pity, even anger or bitterness. But we need to look up and seek to understand what God is doing at this time. Rest is one thing and I love the idea of cheering from the sidelines. That’s the “golden rule” at work, isn’t it! Blessings!
Amen, Donna! Blessings, to you!