The Best Life

Picture by Caprice Miller

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!   All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”  - 1 Corinthians 9: 24-25

It is such a great feeling to WIN!  All the hard work you put in prior to the competition paid off.  Now you get to stand in the winner’s circle and bask in the glow of the spot light as people cheer for your accomplishments.  In that moment, you can’t imagine anything better.  Even over the next few days you might think you should pinch yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming.  But soon, the glow of the spot light fades, the training for the next challenge begins and instead of questions such as “How does this win feel?” you hear “So, what will you do to stay on top and do your really think you can do it?”  Or “So, when are you going to retire?”

The ebbs and flows of competition are a lot like life.  There are times when we really do feel like we are in a challenge to win or lose.   But most of us are just trying to stay in the game and not really worrying about winning the ultimate prize.  That’s really a sad existence when you think about it – “just trying to stay in the game.”  Doing life this way really has no purpose about it except survival.  There are too many of us who feel like we are doing just that – trying to survive from one day to the next.  There is barely a moment to take in your immediate surroundings much less contemplate the manner in which you are doing life.  But what if there was something more?

As human beings, we have an innate desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.  That is because we have been wired to have a relationship with our creator, the God of the Universe.  We have the opportunity to live a life with Him as our coach.  Imagine that!  The one who tells us that He has a plan for us in Jeremiah 29:11 could actually coach our lives, if we allow Him to.  If we’re honest with ourselves, stepping out on our own is just a normal way of life usually.  If we have ever stopped to ask God’s direction first, we probably felt surprised when it actually gave us peace and really did work for His glory and our benefit.  Why is it that we don’t take time to do this more?   It’s interesting to consider what life would be like if we actually sought God’s plan for our lives before stepping out on our own.  It would probably save us so much time, heartache, frustration, etc. 

We have to remember that this life we live is a competition in a sense.  We have but one to live and we have choices to make for it to be the best we can live.   It’s not a sprint we are in, but a marathon.  We are competing for the ultimate prize of an eternity with God in Heaven.  We should take the time to ask for His direction first so we don’t waist our energy on the trails that lead to self-destruction.  This manner of living life could be an encouragement to others who may be attempting to run life as a sprint instead of a marathon themselves.   Run your marathon for His glory.  It will be of great benefit as you live the best life He has given you.