It’s game day, and football fans everywhere are tuning into their favorite teams, either cheering or sneering.

I was listening over the radio on the way home from running errands, as a player was called for unnecessary roughness. It’s a senseless and easily avoidable penalty on the field, yet it’s such a common call.

I began to replay events of the week, and general observations that I picked up on. My field may not comprised of yards, but making downs can be just as tough at times. With no defined playbook or regulations, the game of life can be daunting at times.

Sometimes we face unnecessary roughness too. We get hit hard when we aren’t prepared, or may already be out of bounds. We look up and suddenly it feels like a pile of defensive behavior holding us down. Although a penalty may have been assessed, it can still leave the other player out of sorts, out of breath and out of time.

When the world comes at you as it sometimes does, the best thing to do may be to take a time out and reassess. Often it’s not us in particular as the target, but we become a casualty of the playing field and the very game we strive to win.

The key to remember is that there is still time left on the clock. You can make adjustments as you go, rewriting the playbook, as long as you commit to staying in the game. Even after all the jarring mental hits, it still comes down to how you finish that matters.

Let resiliency be your quarterback, tenacity be your linebacker and strength be your lineman. Huddle everyday seeking faith and your heavenly coach, who always has your back and covers your blind side. You have to stay in it to win it.