Facing the Giants

I've lost count of how many times I've seen this movie. I do know that it has made a very profound impact on my life. This movie addresses so many issues, but the central message is about facing your giants of fear.

Coach Grant Taylor is considered a weak coach with a loosing record - he hasn't achieved success in the six years that he's been heading up the football program at the high school and the parents are getting fed up. He is losing his hair, the only thing his car does faithfully for them is break down, and they are unable to afford a new car, he's the reason why they have been unable to conceive a baby after years of trying, the dryer only works half of the time and something in their house has an unbearable, inexplicable stench. My gosh, just watching him breaks my heart! This is a man at breaking point, and at that point - when he's at the end of his rope - he runs to God and finds hope - one step at a time.

This movie is jam packed with life lessons, strategies and encouragement to overcome; I think every person will find something that speaks to them somehow. I'm going to highlight the ones that have made a significant impression on me.

When everything seems to work against you it can be tempting to become angry with God, or blame him, question his love and his motives with us and walk away. The ironic thing is that those times are when we need him more than ever. Watching Grant run to God and hiding with Him despite his desperateness made a big impact on me. He asks question like, "If God never gives us what we want most, will you still love Him?" He says, "Lord, if what I'm doing is not what you want, then show me what to do instead, but You are my God - help me, empower me, guide me." With such an attitude he positioned himself for God to do something great in him, and through him. God says that if we humble ourselves under the hand of God, then He will lift us up in His time and His way. Through Grant starting to seek God for His way, God doesn't just change his own life but the life of many others who needed it just as much (but didn't even know it).

He encounters a man that has been praying for revival at the school for years. He shares with him about two farmers who prayed for rain but only one went out and prepared his fields, trusting God to send the rain when He was ready. That was the man who exhibited faith. What a powerful principle! But isn't that what faith is? That we pray, then put our faith in motion by doing what we can, while we trust God for what we can't?

Sometimes all we want to do is run away, but until God moves us, we are to bloom right where God plants us. We need to be willing to let God work in us and achieve what He wants to; He knows what we will need it for going forward - and ultimately He is preparing us for bringing Him more glory in the future.

Fear can paralyze us if we let it. It can stop us from even trying because we are afraid of failure. David has always just played soccer but where they've moved to is only football. He doesn't think he's good enough - too small, too weak (sound familiar?)... His dad says it perfectly: "Are you saying you're not interested, or you'd like to try out but you're afraid?" David replies: "What if I don't make the team?" - "Well, you're already not on the team; you can't get any more not on the team than you are right now." (Now, how do you argue with that?) If you don't try, how will you ever know? What if you fail? Well, what if you try and you exceed every expectation of greatness you ever had? Think about it.

Then, sometimes you try and you fail. Everyone fails at some point. Did you do your best or did you fail before you even failed? Your actions will always follow your beliefs. If you accept defeat then that's what you'll get.

I think sometimes God tests our heart to see if we love Him, or just what we can get from Him. Grant's wife has already been to the doctor three times in one year hoping she'll be pregnant - all negative. She is starting to feel embarrassed but she has morning sickness. Upon her friend's encouragement she goes again and it is again negative. She's made up her mind though: "I will still love you, Lord." Such an attitude doesn't mean not feeling the loss and the pain of disappointment. I think that those feelings are perfectly normal and God understands that we have them, but it is how we choose to deal with them that either honors the Lord, or shoots us in the foot. Sometimes it is when we die to our dreams that God finally decides to grant them - it is often He who put it in our hearts to begin with, and He wants to shower us with blessings and good things. However, the condition of our heart has eternal value way beyond the earthly desires of our hearts. Do we recognize that?

Then, of course, there is the gradual transformation of the football team and the way God transforms the players before he transforms their game. Yes, tell me, what is impossible with God?

Wow! Faith against all odds!! 

I cried throughout the movie, I cried through the movie soundtrack and lyrics, I cried through the special features and personal stories of the actors in the movie. All I can say is, "It had to be God!" 

Watch this movie! Watch this movie! Watch this movie! - Blockbuster, rental, Netflix, own the DVD, etc. - I don't care! This is a must see!! It will change your life!