Give Me a Challenge

This past summer I had the privilege of coaching a couple of athletes who were competing in their first ½ Ironman Triathlon. I say it was a privilege because it was almost as rewarding to see them attempt and achieve their goal as it was for me to attempt and achieve my own goals. In fact helping them achieve their own goals was helping me achieve one of my goals.

One of the comments that I received from them was especially revealing to me about what this whole coaching relationship is about. The comment was this… “It’s because of your crazy challenges that I made it through.”

Throughout the training process and on the day of the race, I threw out some crazy challenges. And I didn’t do it half-heartedly or sarcastically…I really meant them. I knew that for these guys the challenges would mean something. They were a stretch, but for them they were achievable, if they believed and if they had a desire, which I knew they did.

Last night as I read this comment several times I began to get it. I began to get that this closely resembles what God does for us. Sure, there is more to it than just this one facet, but this is a part of it. God lays out some pretty audacious challenges. He lays out some pretty big claims for those that believe and he also gives seemingly endless rewards for those that believe and for those that have a desire to achieve.

Last night I also thought about the fact that if I can get pretty excited about seeing a couple of guys achieve the physical goal of completing this race, just think about the joy that God receives when he sees us setting and achieving goals with our life. Just as I was proud to say “Hey, see that guy, I was his coach.” So is God eager for the world to see us accomplishing big goals and giving him the bragging rights of saying “Hey world…see that guy who is out there getting it done…he’s mine!”

Perhaps this is why scripture uses the illustration of the athlete and the challenge to win and the metaphor of running the race over and over. I am all for embracing the physical challenges and taking them on…but if all the challenges in your life are tied up in the physical you are really missing it. These can help give you a balanced life and can help keep you in top physical shape. But if you don’t take on similar challenges in your mental and spiritual sides of your life you will be missing out on the fullness of life that God planned for you.

Get out there…taken on the challenge…and embrace those crazy challenges that the coach is dishing out.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 – “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved