I had the opportunity recently to view "Soul Surfer", the film that tells the true story of the teenage surfer who lost her left arm to a tiger shark while surfing near her home in Hawaii. I would venture to say that it tells one of the most remarkable "overcoming the odds" sports stories you will ever come across, and is worth watching just for that.
Spoiler Alert: If you intend to see the movie, watch it before you read further.
The plot centers around a girl named Bethany Hamilton, who is one of the top-ranked junior surfers in the world at the time of her accident. The fact that she did not die from the attack is miraculous in and of itself, since they were quite a distance from medical care when the accident happened. Quick action on the part of those who were surfing with her at the time allowed them to get to the hospital in time to save her life. She reportedly lost about 60% of her blood volume before she reached the hospital, making her survival even more remarkable.
The film then follows her return to life and the trials of learning to do everything one-handed.
I won't rehash the entire movie here, but I did want to share a few thoughts.
First: To be able to surf one-handed is an impressive accomplishment. My appreciation for Bethany's achievement is heightened by the fact that I had my first opportunity to surf this past January at Pismo Beach, California. I would equate this to the way that you gain a greater respect for what a professional golfer can do with a golf ball once you have played for a while and realize how difficult it is to put the ball where you want it and to intentionally hit a draw or a fade or put backspin on the ball. It took quite a while for me to get up on a long board using two arms, though I did manage to have a few decent (for me) rides before it was all said and done. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to paddle out and then catch the wave and get up using only one hand. Having had this experience recently, Bethany's achievement in not only learning to ride again, but becoming a competitive professional surfer, is truly extraordinary.
Second: Although the film focuses on Bethany's return to competitive surfing, it makes the point that life is about far more than surfing. Although Bethany was "born to surf", surfing is not God's primary purpose for her. After her first unsuccessful attempt to return to competitive surfing, Bethany is discouraged and wants to stop surfing. She participates in a mission trip to Thailand to help tsunami victims and discovers that she can use her surfing to point others to God. This trip rekindles her desire to return to surfing as she can finally grasp how Romans 8:28 applies to her situation: God can cause all things (even shark attacks) to work together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. Her return to surfing inspires multitudes around the world, including many who are also disabled, and she points them to God. That is God's purpose for her.
The correlation in our lives is that even the struggles and tragic events with which we are faced can be used for our good by God if we love Him and seek His purposes. What disability in your life does God want to use for good? What might his purpose be?
