Dave Dravecky & Doing Life Over

Do you remember the Dave Dravecky story? A young left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants in the late 1980’s, Dravecky showed great promise as a major league player until it was discovered that he had cancer in his pitching arm. Dravecky had an operation that removed the cancer. He went through grueling rehabilitation and re-entered the major leagues with an inspirational performance that earned him standing ovations.

Life and baseball looked exciting and promising again, and, Dave had more positive influence in the lives of young and old than ever before because of his courageous comeback. Then, the cancer returned and it was determined that the pitching arm had to be amputated! There are books and videos that tell the story and it would be worth your time and money. Check out his web site.

Last week my son got to hear Dravecky speak. I asked, “How was it? Did he say anything that stood out to you?” Justin replied, “Dad, he said that if he had his life to live over again he would want it to happen exactly the same way. He said that going through the cancer experience was the best thing that ever happened to him.”

Does that surprise you? It doesn’t me. I’ve heard dozens of people of faith through the years say similar things. Their conclusions are the same. God worked so powerfully in their lives and changed them so thoroughly that they would significantly be less than the person they’ve become had they not walked with God through hardship.

I think that is similar to what the Apostle Paul had experienced and thus he confessed, “I boast in my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me…I delight in my weaknesses…For when I am weak, then I am strong.”