The Endless Rally

Galations 6:9

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

I’ll never forget the day my dad and I hit a badminton birdie back and forth 2,000 times without letting it hit the ground.

It was perfect weather with no wind, and it began with a simple rally. We didn’t start with that specific number in mind, but we got into an insane groove. No talking. No music. Just the sound of a birdie being tapped back and forth. One. Two. Three. Ten. Fifty. One hundred. Five hundred. Neither of us wanted to be the one to mess it up, so we just kept on going. When we finally got to 2,000 hits, we both called it quits because it had gotten dark on us and our arms were about to fall off.

When I think back on that day, I’m reminded of the steady consistency of my dad. He didn’t give up. He tried his best to hit it back to me in the best place I could return it to him. He stayed locked in, focused, and present until we beat the record.

In the same way, sometimes life can feel like a rally that will never end, the same struggle, the same routine, the same feeling of constantly trying to keep the birdie in the air. It’s easy to get tired and lose focus. It’s easy to wonder if it all even matters.

But Moses reminds us in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” He was speaking this to the nation of Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership. Moses knew it was going to be full of battles and challenges, but he also knew that God’s presence would remain with them. It wasn’t a message of having courage in their own strength, it was a message reminding them that the source of courage comes from knowing that God would be with them, fighting on their behalf.

The same is true for us today. God is with us in the rally of life. Maybe you’re in the middle of your own rally right now. It could be a back and forth with an addiction. Or maybe the daily routine of work or school has got you feeling hopeless. Or maybe the relationships in your life feel stuck, strained, or broken. Whatever your rally looks like, remember that you’re not alone. God will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). There is nothing in all creation that will separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39).

Just like my dad was with me in every single hit until we reached 2,000, our Heavenly Father promises to be with us through every season of struggle, doubt, fear, and challenge we face. He sees the pain. He knows how hard it is. And He stays in it with us, even when we feel like giving up.

The Bigger Picture: Even when the rally feels endless, God’s faithful presence is the steady hand that never lets the birdie drop.