Life-changing endurance is built in times of:

Difficulty…Discomfort…and Doubt. There is one factor that alters the game. After you learn about the story of NBA Pro Jeremy Lin, you too may find freedom in the “Linsanity!”

Linsanity directed by E. Leong provides a look into how Lin, the first American-born basketball player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent, has been tested throughout his life against his resiliency and faith. Here is a recap of moments where he could have quit and his rise:

  • Despite an exceptional sports record in high school, no one knocked on his door to play under a collegiate athletic scholarship.
  • Despite becoming a three time all conference player in the Ivy League, his name wasn’t called at the 2010 NBA draft. Instead, he received a partial contract with the Golden State Warriors and ended up in the D-League three times.
  • He was placed on waivers by the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets, allowing other teams 48 hours to take him.
  • He landed on the NY Knicks barely allowed to play and wound up back in the D-League.
  • Lin was deep into the roster, a long-shot backup to the big guys. He was thrown in as a last resort, due to teammates being injured, winning a losing game.
  • He followed up with another win. Carmelo Anthony suggested to the coach that Lin be given more time on the court. He landed his first career start against the Utah Jazz earning 28 points towards another Knicks win.

LINSANITY exploded, becoming his signature. Jeremy Lin was being talked about everywhere. The time came for Lin to play against Kobe, who Lin looked up to. When Kobe was asked about Lin, despite the worldwide attention, he responded that he didn’t know much about him. That was a blow for Lin. The media went crazy. Lin went on to score 38 points versus Kobe’s 34 points. When the media asked him if he thought Kobe knew him now, he wanted to say, “Kobe who?” but Lin said that he thought about what Jesus would say. He responded, “You’ll have to ask him.”

Linsanity happened again with the clock just a few seconds away from ending the 4th quarter in a tie against the Toronto Raptors. Lin confidently motioned to his team. A beat, a pause…the hearts of fans everywhere rapidly pulsating as their eyes frantically moved from clock to Lin. Lin took the shot and scored 3, winning the game at 90-87!

Lin was on his way to becoming a guaranteed contracted Superstar. But nope. Lin became a limited free agent, was not re-signed and landed with the Rockets. His ballgame suffered leading to less court time. Despite feeling uncertain about his game, he led the team to a win shaking the NY Knicks streak. In 2013-14, Lin was placed back to 2nd in the starting lineup and then traded to the LA Lakers where he was benched. He said, “it was one of the toughest situations I’ve been in.”

While with the Warriors, Lin was described as a “minimum, inexpensive asset…not a superstar.” He had trouble sleeping and was dealing with anxiety at times. From the beginning through present day, he has been called names like “chink, sweet & sour pork,” made fun of for being Asian and not being able to open his eyes as well as being heckled because of his ethnicity during games. The countless trades and his career starts and stops despite Linsanity increased his doubts.

How did Lin make it through constant uncertainty?

When he thought about quitting basketball during his rookie year? When he got cut two times with only two years in the NBA? When the professionals weren’t clamoring to get him? When other teams he prayed to play alongside didn’t acknowledge his skills? When he found himself in countless transitions because teams passed him along? When he was chosen by a team only to be demoted or benched? How does Lin continue to overcome when people are still in disagreement over his achievements? When was Lin going to be good enough?

In the documentary, Lin’s pastor mentions how he was filled with tears as he left service early to catch a plane. The emotional impact of his struggle was apparent. It is in the times when nothing seems to be happening that something extraordinary is seeded! Lin began cultivating a deeper relationship with God. He stopped seeing God as a gift giver, only connecting with him when he needed something. He reframed his failures as successes because those lows drew him closer to God. He re-positioned God at the top, then his family, then his career.

Jeremy Lin re-structured what he had made idols of, even the importance of the game, the things that took his attention and placed God last. He experienced the full presence of God reigning alongside him through anything. In the extraordinary games that followed, Lin says that he felt a higher level of peace and God’s showing up and showing out! This is as he credits, “true success” – that is, when Linsanity is silenced, God is still present.

Through the times he felt most limited, Lin remained committed to the work. He was humble and open to development at the D-League even when the stands were nearly empty. His respect for the work cultivated a disciplined spirit. He was the first to arrive for practices. He was honest about wrestling with self doubt and frustration. Yet he remained hopeful. His endurance multiplied by applying the values of his character.

He continued preparing for what he could not imagine but was to come. Through one rejection after another, he stayed on course and when others didn’t notice him, God had. “God reminded me that He has a perfect plan and that my job is to glorify Him with my heart and my work ethic.” Lin played back his every pain realizing God had been there all along. God was the reason Lin did not quit. God was the reason he kept going.

Kobe took notice.“Players playing that well don’t usually come out of nowhere. It seems like they come out of nowhere, but if you can go back and take a look, his skill level was probably there from the beginning. It probably just went unnoticed” –Kobe Bryant after Lin scored 38 points on 2/10/12. The difference was he pursued God more actively while being honest about his challenges. He continued to carry his character with respect, diligence, commitment to his talents, and humility. Exalt yourself and you shall be humbled. Humble yourself and you shall be exalted.

There will be times when you will be unnoticed, but God notices you. He will orchestrate the possible from your set-backs and make it visible when the timing is right. Lin says he never knew he could achieve what he did. Thus, it was always God’s plan to be revealed once Lin’s endurance matured. Lin acknowledges that he plays best from positivity. He does not use the comments regarding his race as fuel to play well, but rather he lets it go because he cannot take that negativity into his heart. When the lights go out and the cheer of fans is gone, he prays out loud, pours his heart out, and vents. He leans on God to strengthen him.

What was God’s plan?

I wonder if it was to use an international phenomenon crossing all races like Linsanity? You see, Lin began a digital prayer group. Teammates have joined him in a Bible study group. I wonder if God used these events to reach the ones He was calling for? To bring full circle what Lin experienced in his revelation of God, that his job is to glorify God through his work and in using his humility, has drawn others nearer to God. Perhaps the biggest revelation is that basketball was never Lin’s calling but rather a platform to glorify God through a massive craze called Linsanity bringing players, fans, and others back home.

Jeremy Lin’s Favorite Verse:

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. – Romans 5:3-5

“I’m not working hard and practicing day in and day out so that I can please other people. My audience is God.” – Jeremy Lin

May your career be a platform for the gifting you have been given in service to others.

Trailer: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2359427/

Linsanity 10 Years Later: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq8ET62DnB8