I saw two very different football players give verbal “praise to God” in two very different ways this past week.

One was Ray Lewis. After his team won a wildcard playoff game in fairly convincing fashion he exclaimed “Isn’t God Awesome!?!” The other was Colt McCoy of the University of Texas. After injuring his arm early in the game, McCoy was forced to sit out of the National Championship ( a game he had stated that he dreamed of playing in his entire life) and watch his backup and the rest of his team lose to Alabama. In a post game interview he said, “I always give God the glory, I’d never question why things happen the way they do.  God is in control of my life and if nothing else I know I’m standing on The Rock.”

What strikes me about these “confessions” is the differences in the circumstances. How easy was it for Ray Lewis to praise God? I’m not commenting here on the sincerity or veracity of Lewis’ faith. I’m simply saying that it’s not difficult to praise God when all is well and your team wins a playoff game. This is in stark contrast to the confession of Colt McCoy. Colt had no earthly reason to praise God. He hadn’t played in the Championship game which according to some was the reason his team lost. As a senior entering the draft the injury could put his NFL career in jeopardy. Through all of this, though, he proclaimed that God was in control of his life and he wasn’t going to question Him. I’m sure many a television viewer on that night wondered if he didn’t receive a head injury in addition to his arm injury. What reason did he have to praise God? Wasn’t it God who did this to him?

It’s in those times when it should be absurd to praise God, when all earthly wisdom screams at us to complain and despair, it’s those times that our praise is at it’s most meaningful. Anyone can praise God when things go well for them. The difficulty comes in praising God when things don’t go well. A great example of this is Job. After being put through trials of unimaginable proportion he was still able to exclaim, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him.” This, too, is one of the many applications of the Desiring God Ministries/John Piper motto, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” Job was satisfied in God. And though I know nothing of the man’s faith, Colt McCoy was at least professing that he was satisfied in God as well.

In closing I can’t help but think of the praises that rang forth from those mentioned in Hebrews 11. “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two,  they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (35b-38) Their praise of God and faithfulness to Him in the midst of these circumstances was absurd…. yet glorious.

I pray that God would teach me such absurd  faithfulness and praise.