I am a very competitive person. It doesn’t matter what game I’m playing or what contest I’ve entered, I want to win. I want to win badly. If it was a game of Tiddly Winks, I want to stomp you decisively. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a sore loser if I happen to be on the losing side of things, but I’ll do everything I can to win in any situation.
I suppose most people are competitive to some degree. Our Society and way of life forces us to be this way. We’re competing against others for employment opportunities. We’re competing in our businesses against other businesses. We’re competing against other students for the best grades in our schools and universities. We’re competing against each other on the roads and highways to get to our destination faster and faster. Our Sports World is driven by the desire to win the next Super Bowl, World Series, or Stanley Cup. I could go on and on, but you get the drift. We’re taught and conditioned that second place is for losers.
In Luke 9:23, the Lord says “….if anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (NAS). In another translation of the Bible, “The Message,” the same verse reads “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am.” I have to confess that I’ve always struggled to follow this verse. Not because I didn’t believe it or because I didn’t want to. My competitive nature to win left no room for anyone else, least of all God. There were times when I just didn’t want God to lead. Quite honestly, I was afraid where God might lead. I felt like I knew what was best for me and I would just let God catch up with me at some point. Afterall, HE had more important things to worry about. I was always confident that God would ultimately approve of my direction. Unfortunately, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
God always wants me to be second to HIM. HE wants me to allow him to lead, even when it makes no sense to me. Obviously, this is where trust comes into play. I can’t let anyone, God included, lead me if I don’t have confidence in where they’re leading. Without question or hesitation, I can honestly say that God has always shown me the right path and led me in the direction I should go, even when I’m being dragged kicking and screaming and not understanding why, where, or when. It’s at those times when I’m truly allowing God to lead that I’m at that perfect place God wants me to be.
I’m still competitive in sports and activities, but as for my Christian Walk, I’ve learned that losing isn’t so bad afterall. It’s at those times of letting God lead, that I’m actually a winner because only then can I tap into the everlasting resources of our Heavenly Father.
Where are you today in your Walk? Are you allowing God to lead in all you do, or are you wanting to lead God instead? Remember, losing is actually winning when you recognize God is in the driver’s seat, not you.
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