Gabby Douglas won two gold medals in gymnastics—one as part of the “fab five” and the other as an individual in the all-around competition. And winners always get the attention of the media. She was interviewed right after her second gold medal. And Douglas was quick to acknowledge the win as a blessing from God.
But then, Douglas lost in her following competitions. Not only that, she actually placed rather poorly in the standings. I do not remember her being interviewed after those losses. Yet she did appear to show a commendably decent demeanor in the floor despite her painful experience.
Some persons belittle expressions of faith from prominent people, like successful athletes. And in situations of a loss, some may taunt believer athletes with something like, “So where’s the God who makes you win?” Such words are misplaced and totally misrepresent the praise that a follower of Christ expresses in the thrill of victory. For praise is nothing more than a grateful acknowledgment of divine blessing. It does not necessarily mean that God always makes a believer win, only that the believer accepts the win as a blessing from the Lord.
Nevertheless, the question is worth considering: What is the place of God in a believer’s life in experiences of victory or defeat? Perhaps Maya Moore’s attitude is one answer to the question. She is the youngest member of the US women’s basketball team in the London Olympics. And, yes, she is another one of those who do not hide their faith. Her basketball career is blessed with a string of successes. As I write, they are scheduled to play for the gold medal. Yet she has no illusions about winning. A game could go either way. “Of course I want to win and play well, but no matter what the result, I want to look back at the performance knowing I’ve honored the Lord.”
Honoring the Lord in the agony of defeat is not limited to sports. In every area of life, we may encounter setbacks. It could be the rejection of our application to a university in which we’d love to study. It could be the disappointment of not getting that promotion at work. It could be the heartbreak of a broken relationship. Yet, a follower of Christ can choose to honor God by one’s conduct, in how one responds to the setback, as well as how one “performed” one’s task.
“So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9.26–27 NLT).
—Keith Jainga