It’s that time of year when normally many people would be totally engrossed in the Wimbledon tennis competition. Here is a quote from tennis champion Venus Williams;

‘’I don’t focus on what I’m up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest’’

I’m not a competitive person naturally. I have wondered if sport stars and people like them have something that I don’t have, something that drives them. I’m not suggesting there’s a better way to be, it’s just different for different people. Would you say you are competitive?

On thinking more about this, I wonder if for some of us our competitiveness shows in different ways. We may not have the motivation to run a marathon, but we do strive to meet the needs of our neighbours. We may not wish to climb Mount Kilimanjaro but we do feel the satisfaction when attending to our spiritual selves through prayer.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians in Chapter 3, verses 10-14 says this; I want to know Christ better. Yes, I want to know that power that raised him from the dead. I want to join him in the sufferings. I want to become like him by sharing in his death. Then by God’s grace I will rise from the dead.

I have not yet received all these things. I have not yet reached my goal. Christ Jesus took hold of me so that I could reach that goal. So I keep pushing myself forward to reach it. Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me. I push myself forward toward the goal to win the prize. God has appointed me to win it. The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus himself.

I don’t know about you but these words from Paul really get the fire in my belly going! Ah, so maybe I am competitive?

As Christians we strive for that prize, the heavenly prize in Christ Jesus. And what is wonderful is that it is far more reachable than the top of Kilimanjaro! In fact, we can reach it from anywhere at any time.

So, we can forget what is behind us or what we are up against. We can push hard toward what is ahead, focus on our goal. Encouraging words from Venus and Paul, especially through these different times.

Rebecca Edwards