“You must run in such a way that you will win.” 1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT
“Winning in life is not about being first; it is about finishing.”
My thoughts today are about “opting out.”
It is easy to choose to opt out when things are not as you would like, or the cost is more than you planned, or a friendship becomes difficult. Life rarely succeeds if you reserve the right to opt out along the way. Collegians opt out of classes, when studies are demanding. People opt out of promises made, when that becomes inconvenient. Husbands and wives opt out of marriages and families too quickly, when they become difficult. Were you ever tempted to opt out of something?
Success in life is much more determined by your will than by your abilities. Paul often used athletic competitions as a metaphor for spiritual life. In today’s verse he envisions an ancient track and field event, the long distance race in particular. This race required discipline, effort, agility, strategy, speed, but most of all endurance . . not required so much if you simply enjoy running, but definitely required if you enjoy winning.
The very first thing a runner must have is an unchanging will to win. All of the other things required will follow, because they are birthed from your passionate goal to win. Success comes when you run to achieve your goal of winning, not just for the fun of running. “Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24 TEV. You must run in a way that gives you the best chance to win.
Once you are clear about your goal, you run with that clearly fixed in your heart and mind. Your will to win determines your focus, marshals your full effort, pushes you past weariness or pain, and refuses to let you opt out. Your spiritual life is very much like that.
Success will require extreme effort, unrelenting perseverance, and a willingness to make needed sacrifices. Living for Jesus is not a casual stroll that allows complacency or self indulgence. Live as the Apostle Paul with a clear goal for your life, “so that (you) may win Christ and be found in Him, having . . the righteousness from God based on faith.” Philippians 3:8-9.
Your spiritual life must have a clear and firm goal that can be achieved only by daily embracing a growing Christ-likeness. There is a price to pay. Becoming more like Jesus will demand single-mindedness and the sacrifice of anything that would lessen that. “Jesus finished the race . . because He never lost sight of where he was headed.“ Hebrews 12:2. You can do the same. Winning is the result of not giving up before crossing the finish line. It is not about being first; it is about finishing. At the end of life you want to honestly say, “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-8 NIV. You can hardly imagine what awaits you!
My prayer for you today is that you give up any option to quit short of that goal.