When The Pressure is On

I was so proud of myself! I had taken a shot from every distance the fiber-optic sight on my new hunting bow was equipped to let me aim, and each helical vane laced arrow had found its resting place in an area on my deer target that I deem a “kill shot”. Now I know that for some perfectionists that may read this, each shot wasn’t perfect, but as my dear old uncle used to say about my carpentry efforts, “it’s close enough for government work!” So with the confidence that I was ready to hunt and take a shot from any yardage out to 50, I snapped a picture to share with my best friend/hunting buddy/keeper-in-checker of my arrogance at times, to which he responded, “Not bad for a deer that’s not moving plus you not shaking!” And all at once, the air that inflated my head came oozing out as I had to accept the truth of his statement – A whole bunch of things are easy to accomplish when conditions are ideal and no pressure is on.

Rarely, if ever, is a bow-hunt accompanied with a complete set of conditions from equipment to weather to hunter to game that are ideal and stable. Whoever old Murphy was, his rule is certainly applicable in the arena of hunting, because if something CAN go wrong, just hold on to your lug nuts, because, by George, it WILL go wrong! Can I get an Amen?! The wind will switch directions, the deer will play its 6th sense, the stand will squeak, and on and on…Such is the reality of hunting in woods, and the pressure is exponentially greater than a round of backyard practice in the comfort of ideal everything!

Whether  you are a hunter or not, you can see the parallel here between what we experience in the woods while chasing game and the hustle and bustle, ins and outs of everyday life can’t you? You think “A” is going to happen, and suddenly, out of nowhere, “B” comes creeping around the corner. Or perhaps all the stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies line up for a certain task to happen without a hiccup and you’re blindsided by an asteroid from parts unknown that races in to put a crater in your otherwise pleasant day. Stuff happens. Pressure increases. Results are impacted.

It would do us well to consider what we will do WHEN the pressures of life come into our perfectly peaceful practices rather than procrastinate and be forced to react IF the pressure comes. The Lord was upfront with us when He told us in John 13 that “in this world, you will have trouble…”. He was also upfront with us in the Old Testament when He declared, “I am the Lord – I do not change.” Consider these truths the next time life’s pressures come upon you. If everything is going well, that’s a pretty good indication that some sort of pressure/trouble is on the horizon. However, there’s no need to panic or freak out, because God is God when the pressure is light or strong – so trust Him, His presence, and His accompanying peace during those times.

I’m still confident that I can make a kill shot – I’m just more conscious that I need to pay attention to details and not assume everything is in perfect condition. I’m trusting that practice makes better and practicing trusting the perfect God makes pressure-filled times a lot more bearable! In the pressure cooker of life, whether in a deer stand trembling as the big one walks in, or in the office, frustrated at the change in schedule, God is the best source of soothing for sweaty situations! With all this in mind, with a tale to tell, whether the big one is in the back of the truck or on the backside of a sad story, I’ll see you in the Great Outdoors!