Faith to OvercomeНамуна

Train to Win

Written by Joanna McGee Bradford

1 Corinthians 9 verse 25 says, “We train to get a crown that will last forever.”

Thousands of spectators jammed the stadium to watch Wilma Rudolph run in the 1960 Olympics in Rome. Her participation in this demanding event belied her struggles with childhood illnesses and polio. Left with a weakened leg, she required therapeutic massage treatments several times each day in addition to wearing leg braces and an orthopedic support shoe to gain strength. Rudolph’s physical journey reminds me that running the race of life as a Christian can be difficult, and we can reach seasons where we are spiritually weak.

The apostle Paul also used a physical race analogy to help the struggling Corinthians understand spiritual growth. In his letter, Paul explained what was necessary to persevere in the Christian life: “strict training,” staying focused, and disciplining the body. Following this instruction, we can study Scripture daily and ask the Holy Spirit for direction. Discipline pays off. Rudolph won three gold medals. But Christians run for “a crown that will last forever.”

We don’t know when we’ll cross this life’s finish line. Let’s live in such a way that when we meet Jesus on the other side, He’ll say, as we read in Matthew 25:23, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” before crowning us with the eternal prize.

In what area of life are you struggling to overcome? What negative behavior do you need to replace with a positive discipline in your spiritual life?

Let’s pray.

Dear Jesus, please give me the power of the Holy Spirit to live victoriously.

Amen.