It was evident in the Australian media that our athletes were leaving us disappointed as they failed to take home gold medals. The public began to lose their faith, turning away from our team. When this happened, we should've believed in our athletes!
The Gold Rush Begins
It took some sailors to turn our attitudes around. Finally, when they won a gold medal, the nation changed! People started to believe in our team again. We could win gold! Bob Moawad once said, "You can work miracles by having faith in others. By choosing to think and believe the best about people, you are able to bring out the best in them." This quote reminds me that during life, we have the choice to keep the faith and never stop believing. During the Olympics, we have had the opportunity to send messages of support through to our athletes. The messages, if sent during the tough times would build the team up in a way you may never know.
Time to Count Each Blessing
Another perspective to take on this situation is different than how people may think. Oprah Winfrey said, "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." For our athletes, instead of feeling that they failed because they came second, they could focus on the fact that they are the second best athlete in their particular event. That is a huge honour and privilege to hold! This ideal of Oprah's also applies to our life. We should always take the time to celebrate the achievements we make, no matter how big or small. This way, we are being thankful for what we have.
Strength through Christ
We may not naturally be born with the gifting of great athletic ability. We may dream in the future of becoming a great athlete and competing in world championships, or even the Olympics. If we take the time while we are young to build upon our skills, we may achieve our dreams. Simply believing we can do something doesn't mean we will be able to do it. We need to work towards our goals. The Bible teaches us that we can do all things through Christ. Philippians 4:13 reminds us that if we put our faith, and belief in Christ, He will help us to achieve our goals.
Don't Stop Believing
The popular pop song by Journey, "Don't Stop Believing" has regained popularity thanks to the hit American show, Glee. The show, focusing on a high school Glee club in Ohio, reminds us to never give up on our dreams. The characters in the show all face adversity in their own way, and portray resilient attitudes to life, which can encourage both young and old in so many ways. The storyline portrayal of striving to achieve your best, and failing, then working hard to reach your goals is ever present within the show.
Working for Our Good
We must also remember that in life, we may face unexpected situations. It is during this time that we should keep speaking the truth of God's word, and never lose sight of what's true. Romans 8:28 shows us that no matter what we face in life, God is with us, making things work for our good. As I reflect back upon these past few weeks, I am reminded that it doesn't matter who we are, or where we come from. In life, we can achieve our dreams, and we can have success. We must never focus on the hard times as some good may grow from our experiences; we just have to take the time to look, and never stop believing.
Natalie Van Egmond from Brisbane and is a journalism graduate.
Natalie Van Egmond's archive of articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/natalie-van-egmond.html