Friday Devotional 2026: Baseball Dreams
God Has a Place for You
I dreamed of the day I would become a great baseball player.
Every spring in elementary school, we would head out to the ballfield at recess. In my imagination, I was a star. I could see myself hitting home runs, making amazing catches, and being the hero of the game.
But picking teams always brought me crashing back to reality.
I was often chosen last.
They usually put me in right field and hoped no one would hit the ball my way. When I came up to bat, the outfielders moved in close because they knew I probably wasn’t going to hit it very far.
Most of the time, I proved them right.
Back in the classroom, all of us guys kept track of our baseball stats. Some of the boys proudly posted their stats right on top of their desks for everyone to see. Mine stayed hidden under a random schoolbook. I didn’t want anyone to know how bad I was.
But I still loved baseball.
Most afternoons, I went to the ballpark down the street and practiced hitting. During the summer, I went back to those same ballparks and watched city softball league games. I was amazed as the players sent balls flying over the outfield fence. One time, my brother took me to the Stan Musial Amateur World Series at the stadium downtown. The tickets were cheap, but the baseball was incredible.
I practiced baseball. I watched baseball. I dreamed about baseball.
But somehow, none of it seemed to rub off on me.
Then came the last baseball game I ever played.
It was my first summer working at camp on the maintenance crew. This camp had a Sunday afternoon tradition called “Candy Bar Baseball.” The staff played defense the entire game, and the campers were always at bat. Every time a camper scored, they got a candy bar.
One Sunday afternoon, I was walking past the baseball diamond on my way to a job when the staff called me over.
“Come play with us! We need a catcher!”
“A catcher?” I thought. “How hard could that be?”
So I joined the game.
I had forgotten one important thing: in Candy Bar Baseball, almost every big play happens at home plate.
At first, it was easy. I caught the pitches and tossed the ball back to the mound. No problem.
Then a camper stepped up to bat and launched a rocket into left field. The outfielder caught it, and the runners tagged up. Suddenly, the play was coming home.
This was my moment.
I was going to be the hero.
The left fielder threw a laser beam toward home plate. I reached out my glove, ready to catch the ball and tag the runner out.
But the ball sailed past me and slammed into the backstop with a loud crash.
I scrambled after it. I fumbled for the ball once. Then twice. By the time I got back to home plate, two runs had scored, and the batter was standing on third base.
The camp’s assistant director, who was pitching, was furious.
“What’s the matter with you?” he shouted. “Don’t you know you’re supposed to keep them from scoring? We’re going to run out of candy with you at the plate!”
His words stung.
I could feel my face getting hot. Tears were pushing their way up, but I tried to hold them back. I stayed in the game for a few more batters just to save face. Then I made a lame excuse about needing to get back to work, and I walked off the baseball diamond.
I never played baseball again.
Most of us know what it feels like to want to be the hero.
We want to be the one who saves the day. The one everyone cheers for. The one who gets picked first. The one who proves we are talented, strong, smart, beautiful, funny, athletic, or important.
We want to be Cinderella, finally noticed and chosen.
But sometimes we feel more like the person no one notices. The one who is overlooked. The one who messes up. The one who gets picked last. The one everyone wishes would just move out of the way.
Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we feel like we are not good enough.
But here is the good news:
Jesus loves the ones who feel left out.
Jesus loves the ones who feel like failures.
Jesus loves the ones who get picked last.
Jesus loves the ones who wonder if they will ever be enough.
Ephesians 2 says that we were once lost in our sins, following our own broken desires. But then come two of the most beautiful words in the Bible:
“But God…”
“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.”
—Ephesians 2:4–5
God does not love you because you are the best player on the field.
God does not love you because you always get it right.
God does not love you because you never fail.
God loves you because He is full of mercy. He loves you because you are His child. He loves you because grace is who He is.
Have you ever felt like you are not enough? Like a failure? Like a misfit? Like the person everyone else forgot?
You are not alone.
And God has a place for you in His kingdom.
So get back out on the field.
Swing the bat.
Risk striking out.
Make a mistake.
Let a couple of runs score.
Your failures do not get the final word over your life.
Jesus does.
And in His kingdom, there is a place for you.
Discussion Questions
Have you ever felt like you were picked last, left out, or not good enough? What was that like?
Why do you think failure hurts so much?
What do you usually do when you feel embarrassed or ashamed?
Ephesians 2 says, “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much…” What does that tell you about how God sees you?
How would your life change if you really believed that God loves you even when you fail?
Is there something you have walked away from because you were embarrassed or hurt? What would it look like to trust God with that part of your story?
Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for loving us when we feel strong, and thank You for loving us when we feel weak. Thank You for loving us when we succeed, and thank You for loving us when we fail.
Sometimes we feel like we are not enough. Sometimes we feel forgotten, embarrassed, or left out. But Your Word reminds us that You are rich in mercy and that You love us more than we can understand.
Help us believe that our mistakes do not define us. Help us remember that You have a place for us in Your kingdom. Give us courage to get back up, try again, and trust that Your grace is bigger than our failures.
Thank You for choosing us, loving us, and calling us Your children.
Amen.
