Richard C. Halverson, who was chaplain of the United States Senate, said: ‘Want to be a winner? Compete against yourself, not somebody else…Outrunning your rival doesn’t mean you ran your best race. You can win over another and still not fulfil your potential…To be your best, you must compete with yourself. It’s life’s biggest contest. A loser is a winner – however many his losses – if he conquers himself. A winner is a loser – however many his victories – if he loses the battle with himself. Alexander the Great conquered the world, and cursed his own lack of self-control. Victory over others may in fact be the very thing that contributes to the winner’s failure to conquer self. Winning makes him proud, arrogant, independent, thoughtless – and sometimes cruel. To put it another way, it isn’t what happens to you that makes the difference, but how you handle it.’ We’re each running our own race, following a unique path laid out for us by God. Our purpose is different from everyone else’s, so there’s no need to feel pressured to compete with others. We may think we look good and are doing well compared to other people, but God’s plan is to help us become more Christlike in character. ‘This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind…Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and…how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right’ (vv. 2:21-23 MSG).

What Now?

Ask God to show you an area of your character that you could improve and grow. Try and make at least one step towards growth in that area today.