@bethvogt
It’s been another week of watching the Olympics for me and yes, another athlete’s experience in Tokyo taught me a life lesson I’m going to remember for years to come.
Rob and I were watching one of the heats for the men’s 800 meter. (Can I just say track and field has a lot of heats?) USA’s Clayton Murphy, who won an Olympic bronze medal in this event in 2016, was running in the heat, so of course, we were cheering for him. Things didn’t look good for Murphy. He was boxed in by the other runners, and as the commentators said, he was looking for “some space and daylight,” but wasn’t finding it.
I made some comments of my own about the race, along the lines of, “He’s not going to final.”
Murphy somehow, someway, edged past the runners surrounding him. He kicked it and came in first.
In his interview after the race, Clayton said, “I said a prayer and hoped space would open up.”
I said a prayer and hoped space would open up.
Talk about a life lesson to hold onto to.
Murphy didn’t look at the runners surrounding him and think, “This is an impossible situation. There’s no way I can win.”
No, Murphy kept doing what he had trained to do. He ran.
He prayed.
He hoped.
There was no quit in him.
Murphy won his heat, but even if he hadn’t, he would have known in his heart he’d given the race his all.
I was talking with my friend Rachel the other day and she mentioned how she sees a lot of people struggling with discouragement. With the temptation to quit.
I agree. I’ve faced that struggle, too, and know others battling it.
Maybe …. just for today … what we need to do is keep running. Hold our pace, even if we feel boxed in by our circumstances. If we can’t see a breakthrough, let’s say a prayer and hope a space will open up for us to move forward.
Choosing to Hold Our Pace When We Can't See a Way Forward #perseverance #hope Click To Tweet 'Perseverance, secret of all triumphs.' #quote by novelist Victor Hugo #perseverance #encouragement Click To Tweet
Comments 14
Exactly what I needed, Beth! Imagine the pressure he faced in that race yet he still had the faith to pray for a space to run.
Thank you for sharing this. ❤️
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Angie: I’m glad his words encouraged you, too. I wrote them down right after I heard them and have re-read them since then.
Oh, gosh, I love that. Say a prayer and see what kind of space God will open up! He promises to hear our prayers, and the ‘space’ may look different, but don’t give up! Thanks for this encouragement today. I needed it!
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Lynn: Aren’t Clayton’s Murphy’s words inspiring? I’ve repeated them to myself and looked forward to sharing them on the blog. Keep going and hope for that space to open up, my friend!
Was I saved to be returned
to where I’d been before?
Are there lessons yet unlearned
before hell’s open door?
Did God bring life back to me
that I could find again the pace
that leads not to bright victory
but to the ending of this race
that’s marked by pain and loss and fear,
and by some joys, as well,
that I know now what to hold dear,
and how I best might tell
in a way that’s not depressing
that cancer’s curse may hold a blessing?
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Andrew: Your words have blessed and encouraged me many times. Keep running your race, my friend. Praying for you!
Thank you so much, needed that today. “No quit in me”
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Mona: Exactly so! No quit in you!
LOVE—”I said a prayer and hoped space would open up.” Now I’m going to say a prayer and hope my ‘pace’ improves, and I’m patient with the ‘pace’ as I stay in the ‘race.’
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🙂 Scoti — One thing I know is there is no quit in you, Brill!
Powerful. Just what I needed after a trying evening.
Author
Denise: Praying today goes better for you, friend.
Wow, I’m so glad I read this today. I needed the reminder to pray and hope space opens up in my circumstances. Thanks for these wise words, Beth.
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Jeanne: At the right time for you, my friend. 🙂 Stay encouraged and keep the pace — and the faith.