Go For The Gold!!!

I have been watching the highlights of the Olympic games every night on my laptop. Wow. It’s just so incredible to watch the amazing things people can do! As I watch the gymnastics I am shocked that your body can actually bend and stretch in so many ways. I watched the rowing competition and marveled at the strength and endurance of the athletes. There are always new names in every Olympics that soon become household names. There are also the older competitors that keep coming back for more! I saw a 41 year old woman competing on the vault for gymnastics, her 7th Olympics! What? Talk about stamina.

Of course as we watch the athletes compete each day in so many different categories we ponder these thoughts: wow!, inspiration, how long have they been doing this?, what did they give up to compete at this level? Etc…

I know when I watch the Olympics I’m always inspired, not to athletic endeavors of course but just a greater desire to persevere. It is so easy to get discouraged at something. When I watch these dedicated athletes I realize that is the key, dedication. They made a decision at some point in their lives, to go for it. That meant they were willing to give up something else. Many of them didn’t attend the regular school activities or maybe family trips or those special childhood moments that we cherish. Instead, they were building muscle, training for hours on end, pushing the limits of their endurance. Many of them shed tears as they stand on that podium. When  that gold medal is placed around their neck  and the national anthem plays in the arena, you see tears leaking from the corner of their eyes. They have come full circle. They have attained that coveted prize. They have pursued their dream and become the best the world has ever seen. They have received their reward.

Some of them have overcome overwhelming obstacles. I thought about all the things these athletes have given up, the length of time they have trained and pushed themselves to the limits.

I want that same kind of drive to push myself to forgive when someone does something terrible to me. It might take a lifetime to pursue the dream of being that obedient child of God that I long to become. It will take years of preparation. It will take endurance beyond my human comprehension. It will take the love of God, not human love to conquer all the obstacles I will face. There will be heartaches and failures to battle, there will be tears shed in sadness and victory. When that final ultimate test has been won and I stand before the King of all, I want to hear those words, well done. That will be the gold medal for all I have overcome.  It will be worth all the things I have sacrificed in this life to put God first. It will be worth all the suffering and persecution I have faced.

I love the Olympic games..but even more I cherish the Olympic team my heavenly Father is assembling throughout the ages. Oh the household names and the heroes! Be inspired today to press on, overcome those obstacles, and reach for solid gold. Go for it!!!!