England lost their semi final at the Women’ World Cup in heartbreaking circumstances.
In the dying seconds of the game with the score 1 each, Laura Bassett deflected the ball into her own net.
If you watched the game, you will know that Bassett had played really well and it is tragic to think that her memory of the match may well be dominated by the freak own goal.
If you have lived long enough, you will realize that life contains plenty of own goals. Sometimes things go wrong when we make mistakes or when circumstances collide to pull the rug out from under our feet.
It is tragic to think that the memory of our lives may well be dominated by the mistakes we have made or the things that have gone wrong.
How do we cope when we experience own goals in life?
In an interview with the BBC Karen Carney ‘who has previously said how Bassett helped her during depression, said: “She is a great person, a great team-mate. The own goal won’t define her and I won’t allow it to”.’
I’m praying for Laura Bassett that she would feel good about her performance and that she would realize what a great job that she did for the team in the match. I’m praying that she would realize that the goal was a freakish accident and that she grasp that she could try 1000 times and probably not be able to get the ball in the net in the same way again.
How much are we defined by our failures? Karen Carney said of her friend
The own goal won’t define her and I won’t allow it to.
We all need friends like Karen. When we are sinking into despair we need friends pick us up. The spirit in the England team looks great and it was wonderful to see Bassett’s teammates consoling her straight after the final whistle.
Sometimes when we feel low, our instinct can be to isolate ourselves but it is at these times that we really, really need people around us.
For me, I’m grateful for my faith and for the presence of a loving God who is with us always.
It is normal to feel fragile in life but God longs to be our strength and guide.
God longs to restore our brokenness and to bring healing to our lives.
Carney’s quote is the sort of thing that I believe that God would want to say to each of us. Is God saying to you:
Your own goals shouldn’t define you, I won’t allow them to.
Things in your life may have gone wrong but God wants to lead you forwards into life in all its fullness. Will we let him?
Honest about my faith 