I can tell you about my experiences. I love to golf as often as I can. But, my back goes out on me at times without notice. Some years ago I went out for 18 holes and didn’t warm up first. It was cool out and when I got up to the a par 5 hole, I hit it really hard and threw out my back. I was in bed for days and had to miss my classes. For months afterwards, I didn’t play at all. I was scared that it was going to happen again. I thought about giving up the sport and yet I get so much of my enjoyment of nature when I’m out playing.

I talked it out with a friend and mentor who has a lot of wisdom. After answering some of his questions I realized that I was feeling accusation that maybe golfing was a waste of time and something that God didn’t want me to do. I realized that I believed that God didn’t really want me to enjoy doing something that didn’t produce anything meaningful. I felt guilty for enjoying something other than God. I realized that deep inside I thought my back went out because God was punishing me for enjoying golfing. But, my mentor helped me realize that God created me in His image with likes and tastes because He wants me to be a unique expression of Him. I am being myself and God enjoys that. When I’m enjoying golfing, God is enjoying me enjoying golfing. In those times I am expressing a part of Him and worshipping Him in that experience.

I finally decided that I didn’t want my fears of getting hurt again to interfere with my enjoyment of a sport I love. It’s like having to get back on the horse when you’ve fallen off. Now, I take the time to warm up plenty before I play and I haven’t thrown out my back since. Instead, when I’m out on a course playing, I stop sometime at each hole and take in a slow deep breath and worship God right there in the beauty of nature. I enjoy being enjoyed by God just being myself. I don’t let my fears of my back going out again keep me from doing what I enjoyed. Well, just some thoughts, for whatever they are worth.