Key Bible Verse: Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you … (Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV).

Bonus Readings: Deuteronomy 32:7; 1 Samuel 17:37; Psalm 77:10–11; Matthew 28:19–20; Romans 15:4; 2 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 4:13

Hoosiers is the Cinderella story of a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that overcomes adversity in order to win the state championship. Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) is a former college coach with a maligned past, hired to coach the boys' team from Hickory, Indiana.

When the team arrives at Butler Field House in Indianapolis to play for the State Championship, the players' jaws drop at the size of the 6,000-seat arena with its freestanding hoops and suspended scoreboard.

Coach Dale senses their intimidation, so he instructs one of his players to take a tape measure and mark off the distance from the basket to the free throw line.

"What's the distance?" the coach inquires.

"Fifteen feet," the player with the tape calls out.

Coach Dale tells the shortest player on the team to climb on the shoulders of the tallest player and measure the height of the basket.

"How high is it?" he asks.

The boy says ten feet.

The coach says, "I believe you'll find these are the exact same measurements as our gym back in Hickory."

The team laughs, the tension eases, and they move on to prepare for the game.

This story demonstrates that what we are thinking can be completely different than the facts. How many times have you spent worrying about something that simply wasn't true? I think of all the nights I've wondered if my children had been in a car wreck since they weren't home on time, or thought that someone was angry with me when instead they weren't feeling well. We are quick to jump to conclusions without any of the information we need to make a rational decision.

Moses tells us in Deuteronomy, "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is the one who goes before you." We have to guard against fear and discouragement regularly in our lives. There are times that we have a valid reason to be fearful and discouraged, but more often, it is the "what ifs" that plague us. What if I fail? What if I can't handle this situation? What if I am left alone? What if I make a fool of myself?

When those kind of thoughts swirl through our minds like so many vultures circling for carrion, we have to take time to separate fact from fiction. Just as the Hickory boys had to measure the gym to take away the feeling of being overwhelmed, we need to "measure" the things in our lives to find out their true nature.

Is it likely that my children have just died in a car wreck? Possible, but not likely. They have been late many times but so far have arrived home in one piece. A few phone calls will often put my mind at rest. And if I can't do that, I quote Deuteronomy 31:8 and trust God even if the worst happens.

Is the person who is ignoring me angry, or is he just having a bad day? Taking time to ask if I've done anything offensive can clear the air quickly. If it's nothing, I get to move on, and if I have offended, I get to make it right. Either way I'm not stuck with thoughts that debilitate me that are not based in fact.

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