Have you ever been so impassioned by something that you threw every ounce of your being into it? Have you ever given all that you had to reach one goal?
Normally I don't follow sports especially since recently my opinion has lowered as athletes have shown quite a bit of unsportsmanlike attitudes. But things change when my siblings compete. In my family life stops when state wrestling starts.
Today I watched my brother put every ounce of strength into his match. Every muscle. Ever desire. Everything that was in him was striving toward his goal of beating his opponent. As he strived we shouted our encouragement. Our emotion rose as we fought the fight with him. He struggled. He fought. We shouted. We aggonized in his struggle.
Wrestling reminds me so much of life right now. Many things in my life have me tied in knots. Mostly sins and shortcomings. I struggle against them. I fight. But do I put everything into it? Do I reach for the strength that only God can provide? I do not strive every moment to live like Christ. What would our lives look like if we had completely and totally focused on Jesus and knowing Him? Do we hear the encouragement of those that have gone before? God has blessed me with a number of people who are, in their own ways, shouting encouragement and aggonizing in my struggles.
So today as I watch my brother again push himself to unbelievable lengths, my heart will reflect on my own goal. Strive. Nothing in this world has more value than Him.
"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." Philippians 3:14
