Is there something in life that you would fight for with all your might? Is there something at which you would do almost anything to succeed? Is there a battle you would win—a prize you would obtain? Do you strive for a medal—a gold medal? Which gold medal?
The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of glory for many athletes—the ultimate achievement. We have seen remarkable athletes compete in them. Personally, I will never forget the young and petite 16-year-old champion, Mary Lou Retton—a first-class gymnast. She had worked hard. She was extremely tired, but she had yet to win the last round—her last battle, so to speak—to obtain the gold medal. Everything was against her. I remember listening to the words of her trainer over the radio: “Go for it, little one. Go for it. Give it all you have. It’s now or never!” His words were engraved in my mind. How could she accomplish a challenge so insurmountable?
Success requires determination. We all have a goal that keeps us going forward. For some it is a sports competition; for others, it is a battle against a grave disease. It can also be overcoming a personal weakness—a victory all the same. In Mary Lou Retton’s case, a superhuman effort was required of her. With whatever strength she had left, she kept hearing her trainer’s voice, “Go for it, little one. It’s now or never.” To millions of viewers’ satisfaction, she won the victory. She obtained the gold medal in a moment of extraordinary effort. If you have never heard her story, research it on the Internet or in a sports book. It will encourage you.
Even when all doors in life seem closed, there is always a way out. It is a pity that many work so hard in life to obtain a perishable or temporary medal while neglecting what is permanent. In reality, all of us in God’s Church are fighting for a medal—not a gold medal, but an imperishable crown. This requires as fierce, hard and determined an effort as the pursuit of an Olympic Games gold medal. But our battle is a spiritual battle. It is a battle for life—eternal life.
The Apostle Paul wrote with strength these words of determination: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27). Brethren, there comes a point when we need to give all we have, when we reach our last battle—our last effort to arrive at the finish line.
Each of the seven churches of Revelation received a promise of victory. Each was to set its eyes on the goal—and never to avert them. “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3:10–11).
Brethren, what efforts are you making to overcome your weaknesses? If you do not know your weaknesses, get down on your knees and ask God to show them to you. Of course, for most of us, we have no difficulty learning them, because often our friends will point them out.
Our lives should be full of joy, but we must also take things seriously. Take life seriously. Take your calling seriously. Christ shows us in the Bible all the responsibilities that a member of God’s Church must assume. He gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can succeed. Put plainly—we have no excuse to fail. However, like the petite athlete, we must be willing to give it our best at all times to succeed.
Remember the words, “It’s now or never!” That is how the Apostle Paul lived after his conversion. He worked day and night to accomplish the Work God entrusted to him. Did he face trials, adversities and setbacks? Yes! He had his share—and more than his share: “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?” (2 Corinthians 11:24–29).
What a life Paul lived! What sufferings! What trials! Yet, through each of his experiences, he fought as though it were now or never. He worked hard to set us the right example. He allowed the Holy Spirit in him to strengthen him and guide him, and never gave in to despair. How was he able to do this? By focusing on the power of the Holy Spirit: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). And it is this Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God—the Spirit of love and wisdom—that enabled Paul to achieve his life’s mission: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6–8).
Do you understand these words of encouragement? Paul’s life is an example to all of us. His reward will be ours if we follow his example. It all depends on the goal you are chasing. Is it perishable or eternal? Is it selfish or to help your neighbor? What do you seek to achieve in this world? If you are on a quest, what exactly are you seeking? What sort of gold medal are you after? Christ said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:44–46).
Certainly, life is not always easy. No doubt, the adversary—Satan the devil—will strive to prevent us from doing our part, from resisting and from remembering the phrase, “Go for it. Give it all you have. It’s now or never!”
We read in the book of Romans, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us…. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:18, 31–39).
Those are words of truth. God is our Father and Sustainer—our Trainer. He is telling us at every instant, “Give it all your strength. Go for it. It’s now or never!” We do not know what can happen from one moment to the next. Yet, we know that God is always righteous, always good, always ready to help us—to remind us, “Go for it. It’s now or never.” We are living in the last days. More than ever, we can see the signs of the end of this age, as Christ declared them in Matthew 24. We will increasingly have wars, catastrophes and sensational events, which will show us that Christ’s return is close—perhaps closer than we think.
Satan and his demons are enraged against humanity (Revelation 12:12). They would like to destroy—if they can—those whom God has called today. But do not fear. God is stronger than any adversary. With God’s help, we will always have our incorruptible gold medal guaranteed. If God is your Father—and if Christ is your Master and your Lord—you need not fear. You will always have the strength to succeed—and you will have God’s guarantee of success. Read James 4:5–8. These are indispensable instructions to achieve our supreme goal. They are words of life that will help you succeed, regardless of the difficulties you face.
The days go by quickly. Humanity is both discouraged by unprecedented trials, and stirred by astounding scientific discoveries. Never before have human beings made so many technological advances as in the past century. A child today is not shocked to hear of inventions that would have dumbfounded our grandparents. Travel to the moon, or speaking with someone on the other side of the world—these are now a reality! In a way, people today are immensely blessed, but they often feel that something is lacking—and what they feel is lacking is what is most essential.
Never before has human society experienced so much mental disease and anguish and stress. For millions, violence and suffering and pain are commonplace. But if we have our eyes set on Christ—if we are convinced that Christ is with us, that He will never abandon us—we will always have the victory guaranteed. Always remember that Christ—He who gave His life for us—is your life. He is our Trainer, who guides us and tells us, “Go for it. It’s now or never. Give it all you have.”
Remember Christ’s words, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:32–33).
Consider Job’s trial. He loved God and had a comfortable life. Suddenly, Job was struck with a series of terrible tragedies and he did not know the reason. Scripture describes his attitude as he suffered: “Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong” (Job 1:20–22).
Those are words of courage and determination. Job did not ever want to give up. He could see God’s hand and remember His blessings during the trial. When Job’s friends arrived to see him, they were so moved by his condition that they were speechless for seven days, so severe was Job’s suffering. Even Job’s wife reached the point where she told him to give up his battle, to abandon God and no longer believe in Him. Yet Job answered, “‘You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).
Job realized that he had to tap all his strength to stay the course, and that he would be required to exert a superhuman effort. He knew he could not afford to let himself be discouraged, and that he had to go forward with determination.
God was always with Job. He helped him through his trials and tests. He knows the future better than any man. When we do God’s will—when we remember His ordinances, His laws, His commandments and put them into practice—we will always be victorious, as was Job.
Job was in a spiritual battle for an imperishable gold medal. He could not afford to give in to weakness and quit. He lived as a true servant of God, despite his suffering, pain and loss. Once his spiritual eyes were opened—when his spiritual ears were able to hear God’s admonition—he recognized his sins, faults and weaknesses, and then he was doubly blessed. He recovered all he had lost—and more—but not before he had cried out, “You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:3–6).
Brethren, let us remember ancient King David’s words, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass…. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:4–5, 8–9).
God has called those of us in His Church to strive toward victory, toward an imperishable gold medal. Now is our time to work—to drive ourselves and move forward with all our strength: “It’s now or never!”