We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5 TLB
In keeping with the Olympic spirit of winning, we also need to see the flip side not winning the Gold Medal. For every winner of a gold medal, there are more who feel the loss of not reaching their dream. Yet you don’t see any of them walking away saying they’re never going to compete again. Instead most of them are more fired up to get another chance at winning in the future. My friends, that is the spirit of a true winner, someone who in the face of failure and loss are gracious to the sinners and ready to try it all over again, especially when the whole world is watching.
That happened this year to Caeleb Dressel the 27 year old swimmer from the US. He was salted to keep his gold medal standing in the 50 meter Freestyle and 100 meter Butterfly, yet in both meets just a short time apart, he placed 6th and 5th, which didn’t even qualify him for the finals. Was he disappointed? Of course, afterwards he was seen crying poolside being consoled by his coach. But he had someone else consoling him, Holy Spirit. See Caeleb is a Believer and he literally wears his faith on his sleeve, a huge eagle tatoo for his favorite verse Isaiah 40:31 “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” And now it was time for Caeleb to walk out his talk. And he did, he showed the truth of today’s passage. He might have lost the race, but he won in showing others what faith in God truly is, that winning a race isn’t everything, a relationship with Jesus Christ is.
Christians may still be reeling from what happened at the opening exercises, but Caeleb is just one of the many Olympic Believers who have showed the true Jesus, not only to the other participants, but to the world! John 1:5, tells us, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” Always remember when light stands next to darkness. . . light always wins!
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