Image by garten-gg, Pixabay.com
I’m enjoying the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, and hope you are too. Watching the Olympic Games, we’re witnessing wonder every day – through the athletic excellence and the inspiring stories of people from around the world. Olympians train with dedication to achieve their goals. They can inspire us to train well spiritually to run the race of faith God calls us to run, relying on God’s strength working through us.
Olympic athletes exemplify commitment and discipline. They do whatever they can to train to be the best in their sports and persevere through challenges. As we run our race of faith day by day, we need to give our best so we can grow spiritually and stay strong through our own challenges. The Bible encourages us in 1 Timothy 4:7-8, CEB: “Train yourself for a holy life! While physical training has some value, training in holy living is useful for everything. It has promise for this life now and the life to come.” Just as Olympians dedicate themselves to rigorous physical and mental training, God calls us to devote ourselves to spiritual disciplines that strengthen our faith. Spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, and spreading kindness intentionally help us grow closer to God and open us up to God’s strength flowing into our lives.
Every athlete faces obstacles – from intense competition to injuries. The perseverance they demonstrate can inspire us to overcome our own spiritual obstacles. Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV reminds us: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith...”. By focusing on Jesus and relying on the strength he gives us, we can overcome anything that distracts us or holds us back from making spiritual progress. Here are ways we can notice God’s presence with us every day.
Olympic athletes train for years to build the endurance needed to compete at the highest level. Similarly, our spiritual growth requires endurance. We build this endurance by regularly seeking God and staying connected to a community of believers. When we face spiritual fatigue, we can draw strength from God’s promises and the support of our faith community. The more we keep running the race of faith with endurance, the more we can grow in holiness and experience deeper revelations of God’s wonder in our lives.
Olympians give their best efforts as they work toward the goal of winning medals. Watching their complete dedication can motivate us to be completely devoted to an even more important goal: fulfilling God’s purposes for our lives. If we do so, we can experience the wondrous joy of saying: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7, NIV). Finishing the race of faith will bring us well-being benefits right now, as well as eternal rewards in heaven. The strength we develop in our spiritual lives has lasting significance – both in this life and in the life to come.
Learn more about wonder and the Olympics in in the Crosswalk.com article “5 Ways to See God's Wonder through the Olympics” and in the “Manage Time Well” chapter of Wake Up to Wonder.
As we enjoy the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, let’s allow the awesome strength of the athletes to inspire us to build our own strength. By committing to spiritual disciplines, overcoming obstacles with perseverance, and relying on God’s strength, we can run the race of faith with purpose and passion. Watching the Olympics can remind us of the wonderful potential within us all!
Blessings,
Whitney