Winning Well

Have you ever observed a “Winner”? Perhaps last night on TV or this morning in the daily news. You may have encountered a “Winner” while at work or this past weekend while at church. Our response to winners varies, but we all acknowledge that they are there, they stand out, they are “visible.” The assumption is that winners are somehow made of Teflon, gliding toward their winning season or stardom without incident. While losers, on the other hand, have no ambition, allowing their attempts and circumstances to consume them like bait on a hook. The truth is that there is no such thing as Teflon winners and baited losers. What does exist are those who dream, those who attempt and those who begin. 

So, what is the difference between those who succeed, those who “win” or those who become “visible”? The key is found in these two qualities, consistency and our response to adversity. I once heard someone say, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” But is life about “Winning”? Or is life learning how to lose well and win? When adversity steps onto your path, how you respond will determine how much further you can travel. We have heard many times that the key is not whether you win or lose, the key is how you play the game, and yet we fail to recognize that in every game played there is always an opponent, someone or something standing in the way of the athlete. 

When opposition stands in your way, when it feels like the other team has scored another point or even won the game, how will you respond? Keep in mind that resistance is the only way many things grow stronger. The key will always be found within yourself. The greater the resistance, like the athlete, the more focused we need to be within ourselves. Our focus should never be trained on the winner outside of us. Our focus should be trained on the One inside of us. Greater is the power within you, than outside of you (1 John4:4). When we shift our focus heavenward, we will quickly discover that our journey isn’t about winning well, our journey is about losing well and winning.