In It To Win It!

Winning is not an event, a time and place, and an action. It is not the sudden celebration of being on top of your goals, your dreams, or your fights. Winning is much more than the comparatively brief moment of excitement when all is said and done, at the end of the day when you receive the reward of your labors.

Winning is an attitude. It is a way of life.

Winning is every second of all four quarters of a game. It is every burn and muscle ache of a marathon; it is every minute and hour of study, every moment of initiative and extra hard work, every decision to put away the weights and hinderances from you, regardless of how petty they may seem, or how long the temptation persists.

In everything a real winner does, he wins. The final score may not show it, the last blow may be the one that knocks him out of the rink, and the last shot that falls may be the nail in the coffin that sinks his every effort to come out on top. But he wins. He wins because no matter what he does, he leaves everything, his heart and his soul, on the floor and leaves that fight knowing he did his best. In victory, he cherishes it. In defeat, he learns from it, making it not a defeat for him, but a lesson.

Winning is an attitude.

"Yeah, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,..." Phillipans 3:8

I have won many things, and in this world, there is much allurement out there to win and to succeed in various things. As with any winning, it comes with much sacrifice. But this is the part of winning that makes most people losers. It is hard, sometimes painful, to sacrifice in order to win. Consider a fighter, who gives up all foods that would hinder his physical shape or bodily systems, keeps a sleep log, trains for hours a day. etc. He gives his life, literally, to be the best fighter he can be. Or an athlete, who does similar routines in health and dieting, physical exercise and training. Or an elite soldier, who once again demostrates unquestioned determination in giving up his home and family to be the soldier he needs to be.

Winning takes sacrifice.

But to win Christ? As I stare in amazement at the phrase itself, it seems an impossibility. For one thing, he had to win me, sacrificing himself on Calvary! How could I win him?

This is ultimate sacrifice. It is not sacrificing family, food, fellowship, or life itself. It is being willing to sacrifice any and all of those things, including any honor you would receive for those sacrifices! At least with a fighter, you may enjoy the benefits of a healthy life and good self defense. At least as an athlete, you enjoy health and millions of dollars due to the idolizing of American sports today. As a soldier, should you truly give up life or limb, you will have much honor in this country, whether you died or were injured in an act of courage and bravery for this country and for your comrades. These are no small things to speak of.

But when you become a pursuant of winning Christ, it is of no benefit to you. It is all a benefit and glory to Christ! In the pursuit of winning Christ, you will have nothing of which to boast, nothing to claim, and should you sacrifice all, and "count them but dung," you will, in the end, hope against hope that you may get closer to understanding what Paul meant when he said, "Let this mind be in you..." You will chase that presence of God that demands ultimate sacrifice of self and pride. YOU gain nothing.....except the likeness of Christ!!! And even this serves only to glorify his name and further his cause, leaving you the with only the blessed priveledge of knowing you gave to him somewhat similar of what he gave to you. Self sacrifice is a pursuit in a Christians life that desires to make him more like Christ, so that you can aim to live in his steps, spending and being spent for others.

I can only hope that I can come close to pleasing my Saviour as much as he pleases me.

I don't suppose I will ever fully understand the concept of winning Christ. I can only pray and work, so that when I stand before him, he will say, "Well done!" If I could hear those words one day from my heavenly Father, I'd say that would be winning enough for me.