I have a question for you: If you knew that whatever situation you are facing would end with you coming out as the successor, how would you run your race? Isn’t it the uncertain outcome that causes us trepidation? When a sprinter is set in their blocks and waiting on the starter’s gun shot, they may have practiced, sacrificed and dreamed of this unfolding moment, but they still have butterflies. Not because the race will be hard, not because the competition will be fierce but because they want to win…and they simply don’t know if they will or not. Nonetheless, the race begins and the battle between muscles and resistance is lined with struggles between mindset and endurance. But what if the runner knew in advance they were going to win? But in order to do so, they had to give their very best to the race. As long as they did their very best, they would walk away victorious. Unfortunately, we cannot always rely on our success based on our effort. In fact, we may need to look at the root definition of success. Here are some various definitions from a few people:
“To find and fully live your purpose in life, and to leave an enduring legacy of having made a difference in the world.”
— Ron Cordes, founder of the Cordes Foundation
“I define success as living my true purpose and having a positive impact on the lives of people by uplifting them and inspiring them to think and act in ways that they may not have considered before.”
— Raj Sisodia, co-founder of Conscious Capitalism and professor at Babson College
“The purpose of our lives is to contribute our unique, God-given gifts to have an extraordinary positive impact on the lives of others and the world.”
— David Kidder, CEO of Bionic
“Success, for me, has always been in providing a great quality of life for my family, for those who work for me, and to my community.”
— Jeremy Young CEO of Tanga
Success is not always based on bank accounts and bottom lines. It is more accurately defined by influence and opportunity.
So, imagine how a contestant would approach an election if they knew the outcome. What if a term paper was due or a final exam? What if you were going to court and you had done everything right, but still had the risk to lose…In all these situations, one thing is for sure; there IS someone who knows what the outcome is about to be. So does this mean if you try your hardest, you will win? NO! Does it mean if you are the one who is honest and fair, you will come out on top? NO! But see, God is in the business of using both the good AND the bad that happens in our life for the long term benefit. No…it doesn’t mean if you lose today, you will win later or be rewarded for your efforts another day. The only “another day” we should be focused on is the very first day we step over that threshold to heaven.
It is easy to become self-consumed in to thinking that God put us here to be a shining winner as long as we believed in Him. Actually, usually the opposite happens. We are tested, we are tempted and we don’t always come out on top. But the REAL victory may come at a much later time…like after we die. God doesn’t need our money when we tithe, He wants our hearts. God doesn’t need our sacrifice, He wants our willingness. We are the ones who get it all screwed up when we think in worldly terms and see things scaled as ‘fair and ‘just”. But that is simply not the way God works. He wants us to represent Him in all we do, He wants us to rely on Him in every situation. Just because a vote or a title or a grade is given to us that is not what we expected or hoped for, doesn’t mean that’s the end of things; It could mean it is the beginning. Maybe it takes a tough situation for us to endure to finally open our eyes. Maybe we need to be humbled and realize our hearts are not in the right place.
There is more required of us than just coasting and waiting for God to show up and miraculously make everything better. Remember the words “Ask, seek and knock” those are ACTION verbs. He never said “sit around, loaf and wait for the good stuff”. If we realize what race we are really running and what the real “prize” is, our attitudes may be a little better and our hearts a little less troubled.