The Tribune

By Rev. Angela Palacious

We can win or lose the race by a hundredth of a second. This is such a small measurement but it makes a world of difference. All the years of training, sacrifice, discipline and commitment are put to the test in the moment of the throw, run, dive or jump.

As we run the race of life, we may think of it as a decathlon with various events representing such seasons of life as: childhood, youth, singleness or marriage, work, parenting or childlessness, retirement, golden years, illness and death in no determined order. Some life changes take place over extended periods of time and others can occur in the fraction of a second.

Perhaps we need to measure our life by seconds rather than years. If we were to examine our growth or diminishing, decision by decision, or mood by mood, we would be able to make adjustments much earlier on in the game.

How skilled are you at learning from your mistakes? How well do you know yourself? How much are you allowing the Holy Spirit to influence your moments?

Prepare for your next challenge which will come not in four years but possibly four minutes. Are you as serious about your spiritual medals as the Olympic athlete is about gold medals? Who is your coach? What is your method of strength training? Does it include daily bible study, prayer without ceasing, worship, witness and work for the Lord?

We all need to either hold our tongues more, share our feelings more honestly or speak our truth in love. We need to control our anger, forgive more swiftly, and try to move on for our own health’s sake. We need to exercise more patience or stop procrastinating.

We are all so different and yet we also have much in common. Life is certainly not dull with all the inner and outer changes which confront us moment by moment. News is often so unpredictable. This one drops dead, that one gets in trouble with the law, a world war breaks out, a global recession is created by a financial domino effect. We are indeed members of the same human family.

Well, it is our time now to prepare and participate. There may be no television coverage but we are being watched all the same. In the stands of heaven, the angels, archangels, and all the company of the saints are cheering for us to receive the crown of glory that Jesus Christ has already won for us. How do we do it? We seek by the grace of God to master our moments.