Devotional: Bob’s Bat

I attended a writers’ retreat where Bob Goff led an exercise that profoundly impacted me. Bob pulled out a baseball bat and mimicked Mickey Mantle’s Iconic stance, pointing the bat towards the outfield as if aiming for a home run. Mantle famously did this to taunt the pitcher, signaling his confidence and determination to hit a home run. Bob used this gesture as a metaphor for setting our goals, suggesting that, like Mantle, we should aim clearly and confidently toward the goals God has placed on our hearts.

However, Bob added a twist to the exercise: he introduced additional bats, each representing various life responsibilities. Holding one bat represented our primary goal, while the second bat symbolized family responsibilities. As we added a third bat for financial obligations and a fourth for time constraints, like sleep or caring for aging parents, it became increasingly difficult to maintain the stance. This exercise Illustrated how external stressors can overwhelm us, making it challenging to focus on the goals God has set before us. The lesson was clear: we need to concentrate our efforts on one task at a time, the task God has called us to.

Upon returning home, I adapted this exercise to fit my dally life. Instead of additional bats, I used individual bat weights, each labeled with specific stresses: financial stress, work stress, resentments, unrealized dreams, and health concerns. Each morning, during my prayers, I would take the Mickey Mantle stance with all these weights pressing down on the bat, representing the burdens I carried. The weight was too heavy, making it impossible to hold the bat steady. One by one, I would remove the
weights, symbolizing laying these burdens at the foot of the cross for Jesus to handle. As I named each stressor-financial worries, health issues, work challenges—| spoke to God about it, consciously releasing control and trusting Him to take care of it. This practice echoes 1 Peter 5:7, which advises us to “cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.”

As I removed each weight, I noticed the bat becoming lighter. By the time I had laid all my burdens down, the bat felt as light as a feather, and I could freely focus on the goals God had given me. This exercise has been incredibly liberating for me, and I wonder if it might be a blessing for you as well. I encourage you to try it. Cast all your cares on your Creator, as He has invited you to do, and experience the freedom to pursue what God has called you to.