Run your race...
My son Carter is an incredibly talented martial artist. (No mom-bias here whatsoever.) He started training when he was 6 years old in a Korean martial art called Kuk Sool Won. I think about his progress over the years, his setbacks, his discouragements, his persistence, and his achievements, and I know exactly why he's come so far and is so great at it. He has competed all over the country, earned several gold medals and countless other medals. He is currently in the testing process to earn his black belt, and he's now teaching other students.
There are so many reasons for this.
First, it's his determination. He has wanted that black belt since the first time he stepped foot in that school. See, the black belt uniforms are way cooler than the others. The belts themselves are cooler. Black belts are set apart from everyone else. They have achieved what every single student is aiming to achieve. He has had this goal since he was 6 years old, and this coming Spring he will FINALLY promote to Jo Kyo Nim (1st degree Black Belt.) There have been times where he's wanted to quit. I remember when he was somewhere around a red or brown belt, I would have to force him to go to class. He was burnt out. The training was getting more difficult. He didn't have a lot of connections with others at the school at that time. He played baseball and doing both was too much. He never had any time for himself. There was one time he said to me "I don't think I want to do Kuk Sool anymore." I've never wanted to push my kids to do things they weren't passionate about. So I told him the decision was his, knowing that he hadn't lost is passion for it... he was just tired. Of course he didn't quit.
Second, it's the people that he has encouraging him and pushing him to be his best, every single day. He has the most amazing instructors. They don't allow him to be mediocre. They teach him that anything that comes easy isn't worth it. Carter was very discouraged this past Spring when someone who started training around the same time as him earned their black belt before he did. See, it's hard to focus on your own race and not be in competition with those around us. I do this too. I see on social media that someone went on ANOTHER vacation or got a new car AGAIN and I become discouraged. We tend to compare ourselves with others, and this can be exhausting, and detrimental to our own 'race.'
Third, it's his consistency. He trains so hard every week. His typical training schedule is 3 days a week, for 3-4 hours (some of those hours are spent teaching.) During tournament season, he trains on weekends too. It's Saturday morning and he's at the school now training for the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP tournament next weekend. This will be the first time he's competed against international students. He is preparing himself for this competition. For his race. He wants to be the best he can be. He wants to represent his school and his instructors well.
Last, and probably the most important, it's his passion. He has a passion for Kuk Sool Won. He has a passion for being the best martial artist he can be. He has a passion to train hard, to compete well, to teach well and to set an example for the other students.
And all of this got me thinking about my own race. (Not physical race.... those of you who know me know that if you see me running, you should run too.) But my spiritual race. Do I pursue spiritual growth in the way Carter pursues his growth as a martial artist? The honest answer is no. I don't. But I'm trying.
Paul writes in Philippians 3:12-13 "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."
Carter has not achieved his goal of black belt yet. Even when he does, he will not have achieved perfection. There are 10 degrees of black belt after he reaches that first goal. He could train his entire life and never earn a 10th degree black belt. But that's ok. He's looking forward to what lies ahead. I will never be a Bible scholar. I will never achieve perfection. But I need to stay focused on striving for that perfection. I need to not get tired of trying. I need to possess the dedication and consistency in my spiritual life, striving to become more like Christ every day. I need to keep that burning passion for Christ and strengthening my relationship with Him. I need to surround myself with those who encourage me and push me to be the best version of myself, and who will challenge me when I'm not doing so. I need to focus on achieving my spiritual black belt. (That was so cheesy... I couldn't help that one.)
Carter WILL achieve his black belt. Just like I WILL achieve my heavenly prize some day. And it will have been so worth it. The setbacks and discouragements, they don't compare to what's ahead!
There are so many reasons for this.
First, it's his determination. He has wanted that black belt since the first time he stepped foot in that school. See, the black belt uniforms are way cooler than the others. The belts themselves are cooler. Black belts are set apart from everyone else. They have achieved what every single student is aiming to achieve. He has had this goal since he was 6 years old, and this coming Spring he will FINALLY promote to Jo Kyo Nim (1st degree Black Belt.) There have been times where he's wanted to quit. I remember when he was somewhere around a red or brown belt, I would have to force him to go to class. He was burnt out. The training was getting more difficult. He didn't have a lot of connections with others at the school at that time. He played baseball and doing both was too much. He never had any time for himself. There was one time he said to me "I don't think I want to do Kuk Sool anymore." I've never wanted to push my kids to do things they weren't passionate about. So I told him the decision was his, knowing that he hadn't lost is passion for it... he was just tired. Of course he didn't quit.
Second, it's the people that he has encouraging him and pushing him to be his best, every single day. He has the most amazing instructors. They don't allow him to be mediocre. They teach him that anything that comes easy isn't worth it. Carter was very discouraged this past Spring when someone who started training around the same time as him earned their black belt before he did. See, it's hard to focus on your own race and not be in competition with those around us. I do this too. I see on social media that someone went on ANOTHER vacation or got a new car AGAIN and I become discouraged. We tend to compare ourselves with others, and this can be exhausting, and detrimental to our own 'race.'
Third, it's his consistency. He trains so hard every week. His typical training schedule is 3 days a week, for 3-4 hours (some of those hours are spent teaching.) During tournament season, he trains on weekends too. It's Saturday morning and he's at the school now training for the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP tournament next weekend. This will be the first time he's competed against international students. He is preparing himself for this competition. For his race. He wants to be the best he can be. He wants to represent his school and his instructors well.
Last, and probably the most important, it's his passion. He has a passion for Kuk Sool Won. He has a passion for being the best martial artist he can be. He has a passion to train hard, to compete well, to teach well and to set an example for the other students.
And all of this got me thinking about my own race. (Not physical race.... those of you who know me know that if you see me running, you should run too.) But my spiritual race. Do I pursue spiritual growth in the way Carter pursues his growth as a martial artist? The honest answer is no. I don't. But I'm trying.
Paul writes in Philippians 3:12-13 "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."
Carter has not achieved his goal of black belt yet. Even when he does, he will not have achieved perfection. There are 10 degrees of black belt after he reaches that first goal. He could train his entire life and never earn a 10th degree black belt. But that's ok. He's looking forward to what lies ahead. I will never be a Bible scholar. I will never achieve perfection. But I need to stay focused on striving for that perfection. I need to not get tired of trying. I need to possess the dedication and consistency in my spiritual life, striving to become more like Christ every day. I need to keep that burning passion for Christ and strengthening my relationship with Him. I need to surround myself with those who encourage me and push me to be the best version of myself, and who will challenge me when I'm not doing so. I need to focus on achieving my spiritual black belt. (That was so cheesy... I couldn't help that one.)
Carter WILL achieve his black belt. Just like I WILL achieve my heavenly prize some day. And it will have been so worth it. The setbacks and discouragements, they don't compare to what's ahead!
Comments
Post a Comment