Author: Kevin Burrell

As college baseball teams prepare for their conference tournaments this week, the intensity rises. Coaches and players study game film, analyze statistics and data, and pour over scouting reports. They know their opponents’ tendencies: the pitcher’s put-away pitch, the batter’s hot and cold zones, and the team’s defensive deficiencies. Every strength and every weakness is mapped out—all with the purpose of exploiting any vulnerabilities.

Just as these teams prepare to face their competition, we too have an opponent who knows our tendencies and weaknesses. The Bible describes Satan as a “roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He studies us—not with game film or stat sheets, but with millennia of experience in human behavior. He knows where we are strong, but more importantly, he is well-acquainted with our weaknesses. He strategizes his attacks where we are most vulnerable, when our guard is down, and where temptation can find its mark. Two of his greatest tools in his arsenal are distraction and busyness.

If Satan were holding a conference with his demonic forces, here is a list of distractions and temptations he would likely communicate for them to use against us. Don’t overlook these!

• Keep them busy with non-essentials.

• Tempt them to overspend and go into debt.

• Keep them and their children from going to church by scheduling travel sports tournaments and competitions every weekend.

• Make them work long hours to maintain empty lifestyles.

• Discourage them from spending time with family so the home disintegrates.

• Overstimulate their minds with television, computers, and social media so they can’t hear God speaking to them through His Word, the Bible.

• Keep them chasing after material things in order to appear successful in the eyes of the world.

• Stimulate their minds with models and TV personalities so they focus only on outward appearance and become dissatisfied with themselves and their spouses.

• Make sure married couples are too exhausted for physical intimacy; that way, they’ll be tempted to look elsewhere.

• Make them self-sufficient. Keep them busy working in their own strength so they’ll never rely on God’s strength and power in their lives.

Listen closely: It’s been said, “If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll just make you busy.” I would add distraction to that quote as well. Sometimes, being “busy” simply means “Being Under Satan’s Yoke.” Don’t allow Satan to distract you and make you so busy that you have no time for God in your life.

Be aware! Stay alert! Your enemy, Satan, seeks only to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).

Remember: If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll just make you busy and distracted.

Keep your dukes up!

When Billy Sunday was 18, he was recruited to play for a fire brigade baseball team in Marshalltown, Iowa. Within three years, he was playing professional baseball with the Chicago White Stockings. Then, in 1886, Billy was invited by a friend to a Chicago street corner to listen to an evangelist share the Good News about God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. That invitation made a profound impact on his life. After some time, Billy submitted his life to following Christ. Just three years later, he turned down a lucrative contract with the Philadelphia Phillies to accept a full-time ministry position with the YMCA. From that time on, Billy Sunday committed his life to inviting people to “Come and See” how Jesus could change their lives.

In John, chapter 1, Jesus did the very same thing. He reached out to a group of fishermen with no formal education and invited them to “Come and See.”

There is power in an invitation! Deep within every human heart is a longing for relationship, meaning, purpose, value, and truth. The disciples who followed Jesus weren’t just looking for a teacher; they were searching for meaning. They were simple fishermen but had a desire to be known. In the same way, people today are seeking. Some may not realize it, but their hearts are drawn toward something far greater than themselves. They are searching for a right relationship with God—even if they don’t know it.

People Are Seeking an Invitation!

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they spent that day with Him. (John 1:39)

A simple invitation can change a life for eternity. Jesus didn’t overwhelm these fishermen with arguments or doctrines; He simply invited them to “Come and See.” A word of kindness, a gesture of welcome, or a simple “Come and See” can open the door for someone to encounter Jesus and move from spiritual death to spiritual life.

Listen Closely: It’s easy to think that inviting others to “Come and See” is only reserved for the outgoing, for pastors, priests, or bold personalities. It isn’t! The truth is that obedience to God and love for others are far more powerful than personality traits. Jesus calls each of us to share His love—not based on our ability, but on His authority and our willingness to be faithful.

Who in your life is seeking today? Who is waiting for an invitation from you? Like Andrew and Philip, I encourage you to be bold and loving enough to simply say…

“Come and See.”

Do you ever feel like you’re constantly bringing the same mess-ups, failures, and sins before God—week after week?
I certainly do. One week, you confess to God that you lost your self-control… only to blow it again the very next. It’s frustrating. It’s humbling. And yet—it’s real.

Confession is not a suggestion. It’s a sacred invitation.
A divine door swings open when we admit our sin before God. The beauty of 1 John 1:9 isn’t just the promise that we are forgiven, but also the posture it calls us to: honesty, humility, and heartache over sin. Let’s walk through what it looks like to truly confess:

1. Confess Personally

Sin is not just a general condition—it’s personal.
Confession begins when I stop pointing outward and start looking inward. “If we freely admit and confess our sins to God…” (1 John 1:9). This isn’t about others. It’s about me, taking full responsibility before God. Confession isn’t a group conversation—it’s the raw honesty of standing alone before the One who sees everything… and still calls me to come.

Q: Are you owning your sin before God, or hiding behind the sins of others?

2. Confess Particularly

It’s not enough to say, “God, forgive me for everything.”
Generalities don’t change hearts. That’s not confession. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He modeled naming specific needs. We should do the same with sin. Name it: pride, lust, bitterness, loss of self-control, dishonesty, lying, greed, envy. God isn’t shocked—He’s just waiting for your honesty.

Q: What specific sin do you need to name before God today?

3. Confess Promptly

The longer sin sits, the more damage it does.
Delay hardens the heart. Don’t wait. God’s grace is ready now, but confession must be timely. The moment the Holy Spirit brings conviction is the moment to respond. Prompt confession keeps your heart soft and your fellowship with God close.

Q: Is there anything you’re putting off confessing?

4. Confess Prepared

Confession is sacred. It should never be rushed or careless.
Prepare your heart in quiet, away from distractions. Find a private place. Come in humility—not with excuses or justifications. Be still. Let the Holy Spirit search you. Ask Him to reveal what you’ve ignored or overlooked.

Q: Are you creating space to hear God, or rushing past Him?

5. Confess Painfully

Does your sin grieve you?
True confession stings. Not because God is harsh—but because sin offends His holiness. We’ve wounded the One who loves us most. If your sin doesn’t hurt, sit longer. Ask God to break your heart for what breaks His.

Q: Does your sin stir your soul—or have you grown numb?

Listen Closely:

The word “confess” in 1 John 1:9 simply means “to agree with God.”
See your sin as He sees it. Then pause, and thank Him that He has already forgiven you—by nailing every past, present, and future sin to the Cross.

Your sin debt has been paid in full.
That is God’s amazing grace!

John spent much of his life trying to be someone he wasn’t—chasing after the image of success he saw in head coaches, famous athletes, business entrepreneurs, and influential leaders. Each day he shaped himself to fit their mold, but he found only emptiness and frustration. Deep down, he sensed a quiet pull, a reminder that he was meant for something different. However, he kept ignoring it and pushing it aside. He believed that acceptance and purpose would come by becoming someone the world admired, not realizing he was drifting further and further from who God created him to be.

The reality is that God had already prepared an assigned work for John—something that matched his true heart, gifts, talents, personality, and abilities. Yet every time John chased someone else’s path, he delayed the fulfillment and joy God intended for him. He was often in someone else’s lane, trying to live out their assigned calling and work. It wasn’t until John stopped striving to be someone else that he finally found peace. When he embraced his true identity, he stepped into the purpose he was made for and assigned to, discovering a life far richer than anything he had tried to create on his own.

In a similar way, as children of God, we have been lovingly and intentionally assigned a work by the Lord Jesus Himself. This isn’t a random task handed out without thought. It is a specific calling—one that fits within the sweet spot of how God has uniquely created us, with our gifts, our talents, our abilities, and our passions.

The Apostle Paul understood this so deeply that he said his very life was worth nothing unless it was poured out fulfilling the assigned work Jesus had given him. His assignment was to tell others about the Good News of God’s wonderful love and grace, and he refused to be distracted from that mission by anything or anyone else. He didn’t covet another person’s calling. He didn’t compare himself to others. He didn’t veer off into another person’s lane. He stayed faithful to what he was assigned.

Listen Closely: God has done the same with you—whether you’re an athlete, coach, pro scout, business leader, pastor, or ministry leader. Before you were ever born, God wove into you the abilities and desires that would match the calling He planned for your life. Your gifts are not random; they are intentional. Your passions are not meaningless; they are signposts pointing you toward your assignment. Your life, lived fully in the center of that calling, becomes an amazing offering to God.

It’s so easy to look around and want to imitate someone else’s abilities, someone else’s success, someone else’s gifting, and someone else’s assignment. However, when you strive to be someone you’re not, you step out of the place where your life carries its greatest influence. Faithfulness is not about how much you accomplish compared to others—it’s about how faithful you are to what God has assigned to you.

God has specifically equipped you for a purpose that no one else can fulfill exactly like you can. Stay in your lane. Be faithful in your calling. Don’t compare. Don’t compete. Just complete the work God has assigned and entrusted to you, knowing that in doing so, you will hear the greatest words imaginable one day:

“Well done, My good and faithful servant.”
(Matthew 25:23)

Bill sat on the edge of the hospital bed. The young baseball coach wore one of those paper-thin gowns that never quite tie correctly in the back. However, today, he didn’t care. Today was supposed to be the day everything changed.

After months of chemo, scans, and sleepless nights, today was surgery day—the day the cancer would be gone. The surgeon, Dr. Harlan, had a reputation for confidence, even charm. He walked into the room with his clipboard like a man about to give good news.

“Bill,” he said, smiling, “the surgery went great!”

Bill exhaled in relief. “So… the cancer is all gone?”

“Well…” Dr. Harlan hesitated. “We took out a good portion of it. About half.”

Bill blinked. “Half?”

“Yes,” Dr. Harlan said. “We figured that was enough to make a difference. The rest, well… it’s not so bad. You can live with it.”

Bill sat in stunned silence. “But Doctor, the plan was to remove all of it. You said you’d go after every last cell.”

Dr. Harlan shrugged. “Yes, but that was before we got in there. Taking all of it out would’ve been more work.”

Bill stared, his mouth wide open and hands trembling. “So you left the disease inside me… on purpose?”

“Yes,” the doctor replied. “It’s just easier that way.”

And with that, Dr. Harlan walked out of the hospital room.

We know—no sound doctor would ever make that decision. However, in a similar way, that’s what we occasionally do. We fail to cut out everything in our life that hinders our commitment to Christ. We leave a “hidden sin” here or there, as needed.

Our “idols” may not be golden statues or foreign gods, but they can take the form of distractions, habits, dysfunctional relationships, or priorities that slowly take over God’s rightful place in our lives. Anything that consistently steals our focus, affection, and obedience from Christ can become a modern-day idol.

In Judges 2, we see the devastating effects of compromise. When Israel allowed the false gods of surrounding cultures to infiltrate their lives, they drifted from their covenant with the Lord. The result wasn’t just spiritual decline—it was distress, defeat, and brokenness.

Listen Closely: What in your life is pulling you away from wholehearted devotion to Christ? Is it unhealthy relationships that encourage sin instead of holiness? Is it an addiction to entertainment, substance abuse, sexual promiscuity, approval, or material possessions? Is it an area of pride, bitterness, or fear you haven’t surrendered? Whatever it is, God isn’t asking you to manage it—He’s asking that you cut it out. All of it. Don’t leave a quarter of it or half of it. Cut it all out. If not, it’s like cancer that will slowly eat away at your life.

Take action today—delete the app, end the toxic pattern, confess the sin, and seek loving accountability. Above all else, don’t wait.

God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness are greater than all our sin.

Have you ever experienced a tragedy or painful loss in your life and cried out to God, only to be met with silence? Have you ever searched desperately for God’s will, not knowing which direction to turn or what to do, only to feel like you’re wandering in spiritual circles? I certainly have.

In this haunting passage from Job 23, we meet a man who knows that feeling all too well. Job’s world has shattered—and it happened in one day. All his children and servants are suddenly killed, all his wealth wiped out, all his livestock gone, and his health in ruins. He searches in every direction for God but finds only absence. Still, with amazing faith, he declares:

“But God knows where I am going. And when He tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.”

This is the tension of the Christian life: walking through the fire and still choosing to believe in God’s refining work. Let’s be honest—when we suffer, it’s easy to project our human logic onto God. We imagine He must be angry with us, distant, or indifferent. We think in terms of cause and effect: if life is falling apart, we must have done something wrong. However, that isn’t the case at all. God is not like us. His thoughts are much higher. His ways are far greater. His love is not based on our performance. His presence is not proven by our prosperity.

Job’s friends made this mistake. They tried to explain his suffering with shallow theology, assuming “sin” must be the cause of Job’s calamity. However, Job knew better. He didn’t understand what God was doing, but he trusted that God knew. And that trust was his rock-solid anchor.

Trials are not the evidence of God’s absence; they are often the training ground of our faith. Hardships strip us of our illusions and drive us to the core of who we truly are—and, more importantly, whose we are.

God doesn’t always reveal His will in ways that make immediate sense to us. Sometimes, like Job, we look in every direction for God and see only shadows. However, while we’re searching, God is shaping. He is working. He is not playing hide and seek—He is purifying, preparing, shaping, and refining. Because God has one goal: to shape you and mold you into the image of His Son, Jesus. And He uses whatever means necessary to accomplish it.

Listen closely: Imagine for a moment standing where Job stood: everything you have is wiped out in one day. No family, no resources, no home, no income—and your body is ravaged with oozing boils and mangy disease. However, in that unimaginable darkness, Job clings to this profound truth:

“But God knows where I am going.”

Wow. Don’t miss that. That is not capitulation—it is confidence. God sees what you cannot. And when the testing is complete, you will shine like gold.

Are you in a season where God feels distant? Are you facing trials that seem to have no reason? Don’t let God’s silence shake your faith. Let it strengthen you. Remember:

God is not missing. He is molding.
God is not absent. He is active.
God is not punishing. He is purifying.

Gold isn’t made in comfort—it is made in fire. God will walk through the fire with you. Trust Him today.

Life has a way of making us feel lost at times. We set out on a path that seems right, only to encounter obstacles, setbacks, uncertainty, and confusion. It’s in these moments that we, like the prophet Balaam, must open our eyes to what God is doing—even when we don’t understand His ways.

This story can be hard to wrap our heads around. However, below are three important principles for us to remember in this miraculous account.

1. I Don’t Know Why God Does What He Does!

Balaam set out on his journey with what he believed to be a clear mission. Have you ever been there? Yet, God placed an angel in his path—an obstacle he could not see, but his donkey could. The donkey’s refusal to move forward frustrated Balaam to the point of beating the animal. What Balaam did not realize was that God was working behind the scenes, protecting him from harm.

Often, we question God when things don’t go according to our plans. Why does He allow roadblocks? Why does He redirect our steps? The truth is, we don’t always understand why God does what He does. His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), and sometimes what seems like a setback is actually God’s way of guiding us toward something better and greater.

2. I Don’t Know Why God Uses Whom He Uses!

God chose an unexpected messenger—a donkey—to speak to Balaam. This animal, considered lowly and insignificant, became the instrument through which God revealed His divine will. Balaam may have been the prophet, but in that moment, the donkey was the one with the message from God.

God often works through unexpected people and circumstances. He uses the weak to confound the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27), and He calls unlikely individuals to fulfill His purposes. When we feel lost, we must remember that God may be speaking to us through people or situations we would never have considered. Our role is to remain open to His voice, even when it comes from unexpected places—even a donkey.

3. I Do Know That God Is Sovereign, and He Is Love!

Despite Balaam’s initial resistance, God’s sovereignty prevailed. He redirected Balaam’s path and ultimately used him to bless Israel rather than curse them.

Even in our confusion and uncertainty, we can trust that God is in complete control and that He acts out of love. When we feel lost, we can take comfort in knowing that God sees the full picture. His plans are always for our good (Jeremiah 29:11), even when we don’t understand them. His love never fails, and His guidance is always available to those who seek Him with all their hearts.

Listen Closely:

If you are feeling lost today, take heart. God is working in ways you cannot see. He uses whomever He wants to accomplish whatever He wants. Trust that He has a purpose for every detour, that He can use anyone (even a donkey) to speak His truth, and that His sovereignty and love will never fail you.

Yes, Jesus loves you! Keep seeking Him, and in His perfect time, He will reveal the way forward for your life. God is rarely early, never late, but always right on time.

Remember: God is writing your story—don’t steal His pen.

Brooklyn Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson, the first Black man to play Major League Baseball, faced venom nearly everywhere he traveled during his first year in the big leagues—fastballs at his head, spikings on the bases, and brutal epithets from opposing dugouts and stadium crowds.

During one game in Boston, the taunts and racial slurs reached a peak. In the midst of all the adversity, another Dodger teammate, Pee Wee Reese, a white infielder, called timeout. He walked from his position at shortstop toward Robinson at second base, put his arm around him, and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Reese later said, “Jackie is my friend.” Robinson later commented, “That arm around my shoulder saved my career.”

Friendship is easy when life is smooth, but its true test comes in times of hardship, sickness, loneliness, and adversity.

In Luke 5:18-19, we see a powerful example of true friendship. Four men carried their paralyzed friend on a mat to Jesus, refusing to let obstacles stop them. They were loyal, determined, and resolute. The crowd was too large, but instead of giving up, they found another way—tearing through the roof to bring their friend to the Lord.

How many friends do you have like that? How many times have people said, “I’m here for you,” yet disappeared when you needed them most? Some promise to pray for you but never do. Others hear but don’t listen. Sadly, many who claim to be friends really aren’t. Ever been there? I certainly have, and it hurts.

Proverbs 18:24 reminds us, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

True friends don’t just offer words—they take action. They lift you up in prayer, call you, serve you, check in on you, share a meal to spend time with you, stand by you in trials and hardships, and fight for you when you are too weak to fight for yourself. Do you have a friend like that? Better yet, are you a friend like that to others?

As Rick Warren famously said:

“It’s not about you!”

Listen closely: Like these four men, Jesus Himself is the ultimate friend, never leaving you nor forsaking you. But He also calls you to be this kind of friend to others. Maybe you can’t be a “mat carrier,” but are you willing to carry someone else’s burden, even when it’s inconvenient? Do you intercede for them by truly bringing their needs before God? Or is it just idle words, lip service, and empty promises?

“Love IS action.”

I challenge and encourage you today to strive to be the kind of friend who doesn’t just speak about love—but lives it out.

Have you ever asked God, “Why?” We’ve all asked that question at one time or another.

“Why, God?”

Why did my spouse die? Why is my child being bullied at school? Why did my marriage fail? Why did my parents pass away? Why did I lose my job? Why did I receive this cancer diagnosis? Why did my best friend suddenly die? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is there so much suffering? Why does injustice always seem to win?

Why? Why? Why?

Even the prophet Habakkuk, a great man of faith, wrestled with similar questions. He looked at the brokenness of the world and couldn’t understand why God seemed silent.

The truth is, we tend to cry out to God the loudest when things go wrong. When life is smooth, we often forget to seek Him. However, in seasons of pain, disillusionment, disappointment, confusion, or injustice, we come to Him desperate for answers. Sometimes, just like Habakkuk, we don’t get the answers we’re looking for—at least not right away.

Habakkuk asked God three “Why” questions:

• Why don’t You listen to me when I call for help?
• Why don’t You save when there is a problem?
• Why do You tolerate wrongdoing?

Have you ever been there? I certainly have. Have you ever asked similar questions of God?

If we continue reading, we see that God does answer Habakkuk. His response is not immediate relief but a call to trust:

“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” —Habakkuk 1:5

God was at work, even when Habakkuk couldn’t see it. His plan was bigger than what the prophet could comprehend. And the same is true for you and me today.

Listen closely: When you don’t understand, you can still trust that God sees, He knows, and He is working for His ultimate purpose. The challenge is to trust God even when you don’t have all the answers. It’s okay to bring your “Why” questions to God, but also to say, “Lord, even though I don’t understand right now, I will trust You.”

When was the last time you asked God, “Why?” How did you feel in that moment? How can you learn to trust Him even when you don’t understand?

Take a moment to thank God—not just in your struggles, but in your blessings as well.

When you don’t understand, when you don’t see His plan, when you can’t trace His hand—trust His heart!

Hitting a baseball is hard! Hitting it consistently is even more challenging. In my opinion, it’s the most difficult thing to do in sports.

As a Major League Baseball scout for the past 34 years, I believe that most hitters struggle with success at the plate due to excessive anxiety, which leads to poor decision-making and a lack of discipline. When hitters are too anxious, they chase pitches outside the strike zone—swinging at breaking balls in the dirt or above the zone—instead of waiting for a good pitch to hit. Their lack of zone awareness results in weak contact or frequent strikeouts, as they fail to recognize pitches they can drive.

Additionally, being too anxious causes hitters to react too quickly rather than staying calm, quiet, and composed—trusting their hitting approach and letting the game come to them. Without plate discipline, they give pitchers the advantage by expanding the zone, making it easier for pitchers to exploit their overly aggressive approach. In contrast, successful hitters maintain their composure, trust their approach, and wait for pitches they can do damage on, leading to more consistent, productive, and quality at-bats.

In a similar way, people today struggle with anxiety in a variety of areas. Below are ten of the most common sources of anxiety:

• Work or Career
• Finances
• Health Crisis
• Relationships
• Public Speaking
• The Future
• Failure
• Safety
• Change or Transition
• Perfectionism

The Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:6-7 not to be “anxious” about anything but to bring everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving. He assures us that when we do this, God’s peace, which surpasses all earthly understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Paul emphasizes that God is in control and that He will provide for all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). Instead of worrying, we are called to trust in the Lord, knowing that He cares for us and will sustain us through every situation.

Listen closely: God is bigger than all your anxieties in life. During stressful times or when receiving bad news, remind yourself to trust in the Lord—He holds you in the palm of His mighty hands. As a child of God, remember that nothing can touch your life unless it is first sifted through the hands of the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.”

Allow God’s peace to rule and reign in your life today.