Quote

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."

- Corrie Ten Boom

Real Life

At 22 years old, Wallace Sititi is standing near the top of the rugby world. In his debut season for the All Blacks, he was named 2024 All Blacks Player of the Year and World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year. But Sititi’s rugby career has not always gone to plan.

Repeatedly through his time at school, Sititi missed out on being selected for representative teams despite playing three years in his school’s 1^st XV. Talking about it now, Sititi says that he has learnt to trust that everything happens for a reason. He says that if he hadn’t been through what he did, he wouldn’t be where he is today. In fact, when he was interviewed at 18, as the De La Salle 1^st XV captain, he was asked what three words he would use to describe himself, he responded “self-reliant, patient and resilient”. These are characteristics that are only developed through tough times.

When we are desperately wanting to do well in sport, repeated discouragements are hard to take. When we are working hard and playing well and we still don’t get recognised or given opportunity, thoughts like self-doubt, self-pity and bitterness can develop.

We may not be able to choose what teams we get selected for, but we can choose how we respond to those selection decisions. From a young age Sititi chose to continue working hard even when the rewards didn’t come, and to rely on himself for his motivation rather than the accolades. Those characteristics have stood him in good stead so that when opportunities did come, he was ready to thrive on them.

The bible says that when we are hoping for things we cannot yet see, we should wait patiently, trusting that God, who always has our best interests in mind, will work in all things (Romans 8:25-28). That can be hard to do when things aren’t going your way, but trusting in those moments is what faith is all about.

Bible Verse

If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience…And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:25, 28

Prayer

Lord thank You that You hold my future. Help me to be hard working and humble and to entrust the end results to you.

Author: Sarah Auld   |   Content Editor: Phil Pawley