What Does it Mean to Win?
By Meg Bucher
“My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:7-8 NLT
The pit in my stomach threatened to travel up to my throat, as I sauntered up to the circle of runners I would now call teammates. Stories of trophies and championships bantered back and forth as we stretched, and I immediately felt unqualified.
“What was your best time?” I asked, a questions distance runners love to talk about. And as the answers filtered in, my confidence level rose. I may not have accumulated as many medals and state championship stories, but I had clocked one of the fastest times trying. I learned the difference between divisions that day, and that the mark of a medal doesn’t always represent the actual winner.
David wrote, “my victory and honor come from God alone.” Later in the Psalm he wrote, “Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be.” (Psalm 62:9 NLT) Medals, trophies, and stories of races won are impressive and intimidating at the same time. It’s important to discern the definition of winning in our lives. What does it mean to win?
1. God is our refuge.
“So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.” Hebrews 6:18 NLT
Jesus said, “It is finished,” as He gave up His life on the cross. When we give our lives over to Christ, we have already won the most important victory of all. A refuge is a “shelter or protection from danger.” This is what we have won by surrendering our lives to our Savior. Shelter and protection from danger. The commander of heaven’s armies hears and answers our prayers.
2. God is a rock where no enemy can reach us. We can trust Him at all times.
“God replied to Moses, ‘I am who I am. Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:14 NLT
God is unchanging. When our lives are unraveling, we run to the stability of the Rock who is our God. He is solid, steadfast, and faithful. Rocks don’t wither under the heat of the sun, or succumb to the pressure of the earth. We stand on solid ground, unable to be withered or pressured past our breaking point when we obediently give our circumstances over to Him.
3. We can pour our hearts out to God. He is our refuge.
“He reveals deep and mysterious things, and knows what lies hidden in the darkness, though He is surrounded by light.” Daniel 2:22 NLT
Most of us can internally number the people whom we feel comfortable unraveling in the midst of. People we feel able to cry in front of, vent to, and trust with our most concerning struggles. God is our refuge. He is the safest, most reliable source to pour our hearts out to. He knows us better than anyone else. He created us with specific care and purpose. His heart aches alongside ours.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Winning in this life is rooted in the hope we have through Christ Jesus, and the victory He has already won. There is no pressure on us to perform, achieve or goal set ourselves into an exhaustive state. Winning is doing the best we can with what He has given us, without worrying about what He’s given everyone else do to. In this world, we will have trouble, but Christ has already won. We win, too, when we realize our refuge is in Him, alone. By our own merit and striving, we will never measure up. By His standards, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. When we see ourselves from His perspective, we win. When we run to Him as our rock, not the world, we win. When we realize He is right there waiting for us to pour our hearts out to Him, instead of venting on social media or gossiping endlessly until we run out of people to talk to, we win. He is our victory.
Further Reading:
Psalm 62
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/PaulBradbury
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The process of success is not hidden. It is on display for anyone to see. However, it is a daily grind that requires a great deal of work that is tedious and often uncomfortable. Successful people simply do the work. They embrace the grind and everything that comes with it. Ultimately, successful people understand this truth - Hope doesn’t produce change. Habits do! Everyone has the desire, but many lack the necessary discipline! That’s why today on The Built Different Podcast we have a very special guest who understands the importance of discipline and habits at a very high level. Don’t just focus on changing the thoughts in your head and the habits in your life, but also allow God to transform your heart from the inside out. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to The Built Different Podcast on Apple, Spotify or YouTube so you never miss an episode!
