What Is Your Biggest Fear?

Last thursday, while sitting in class, my coach texted me about what I would be doing at practice that day. He told me that all of the other girls would be doing a workout, and since I had not yet done one since I hurt my foot, he gave me three options. 1. Do the workout 2. Do half the workout and prepare to race saturday 3. Go on an easy run. My initial text back was, "Well, what do you think is the best decision for me?" Instead of giving me a straight forward answer, he replied, "I can't make that decision for you Kate. You have to tell me how you are feeling. What is your biggest fear?" I thought about this question for a minute. What was my biggest fear about racing? When I got to practice and talked it over with my coach, we came to the conclusion that my biggest fear was that if I raced, I would injure myself more and have to sit out for longer. It seemed like a reasonable answer, so I went with it. Well, after doing the workout and racing, I realized that getting more hurt wasn't my fear at all. I was really just afraid of disappointment. I was afraid of letting my coach down, my team down, and myself down. I learned a thing or two about success today. We, today, define success through achievement, status, reputation, and performance. When one executes one of those qualities poorly, we automatically acknowledge it as a failure. Story of my weekend. I considered myself a failure. I forced myself to believe that all of those around me now looked at me with a sense of pity and worthlessness. I felt as though I had failed my team, my coach, my parents, myself, and God. But God doesn't define success in the same way we do. He defines it as persecution, hardship, sacrifice, obedience, etc. He could care less how many gold medals and ribbons you bring with you to the gates of Heaven. He could care less how many times your name is written in a record book or on a shiny plaque. To Him, our successes aren't tangible things. They are the way we carry out His word. Kind of makes me feel silly for calling myself a failure for one bad race. To God, it didn't matter what my time was, or what place I finished. To Him, all that mattered was how I responded to Him. Instead of praising Him, and praying to Him, and trusting Him, I resented Him for what happened. That is where I was unsuccessful. I didn't follow Him or have confidence in Him. So join me today in praying to God for success. Not on paper or in your sport, but in your path of Christ. Pray to God that He will help you to not be consumed or overcome by material success, but instead be consumed in carrying out His word. God will not let you fail.