Like the Olympians, We Can Learn to Maintain a Winning Attitude

You Can Discover Key Characteristics Through the Apostle Paul’s Example

As I sit at my desk and write this article, Nathan Chen is being acclaimed by the world for setting a world record with his figure skating performance during the men’s short program in Beijing. I have watched the 2022 Olympic Games for more hours this past week than I care to admit. I have seen great moments as athletes have achieved their personal bests and I have seen great heartache as performances have fallen short of the athletes’ goals.

This past week I also said good-bye to a precious friend who was acclaimed for accomplishing great things in her walk with God even as she suffered with rheumatoid arthritis for more than thirty years. And during the most recent years of her life, she suffered from not just one autoimmune disease, but four of them. The world would not know her name. Her face never appeared in news articles except after her death for her obituary. Yet she was acclaimed for being a wonderful encourager and prayer warrior for everyone she met.

What do Nathan Chen, the many athletes who accomplished their goals of making it to the Olympic Games, and this dear friend of mine have in common? They have learned how to maintain a winning attitude.

Apostle Paul’s Winning Attitude

We can learn from the apostle Paul how to maintain a winning attitude. Philippians 3:8-15 identifies four characteristics that combine to form that attitude. If we adopt these characteristics in our own lives, then we will see spiritual growth in ourselves.

It is also important that we come together with a corporate winning attitude in order for God to work in a greater way in and through His church. He wants His church to bear fruit (John 15:1-2). He has promised that we will do greater things than He did on this earth (John 14:12). As we all bring a winning attitude together as the body of Christ, we will see God working in a greater way through His church, confirming His word with signs following (Mark 16:20).

Let’s analyze Philippians 3:8-15 to identify Paul’s characteristics that helped him maintain a winning attitude.

Crave

Paul craved more through faith. In Philippians 3:8-11, he expressed that he wanted to know Christ more, knowing the power of Christ’s resurrection and the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings that Paul would be made conformable unto Christ’s death. He wanted these things in order to attain the resurrection of the dead, which is to live in Heaven.

If we want to have a winning attitude, we need to crave more of God. If we are satisfied with what we have experienced in God and our relationship with God as it is today, we will become complacent. It is only through craving more of Him that we read His word, pray, fast, tithe. And if we do these things now, through craving more we will increase what we have been doing routinely.

And be careful. Do not compare what you are doing and how you are living with what other people are doing and how they are living. Such comparisons lead to mediocrity and contentment with the status quo. Instead, put your focus on Christ as your standard. All of us are called and instructed to be Christ-like. This means to walk as Christ walked on this earth (Ephesians 5:1-2). So, to be equipped to do what God has purposed you to do individually, and for the body of Christ to do collectively, crave more of God and set your focus on Christ’s life as your standard.

Commit

In Philippians 3:12, Paul committed to following after Christ and the things of God. The apostle Peter encouraged those that were being persecuted for Christ’s sake to commit the keeping of their souls to God, the Creator (1 Peter 4:19). Paul illustrated what that looks like in 2 Timothy 1:12.

Even in Paul’s suffering, he endured without shame. He did so by setting his mind to focus on Christ and Christ’s ability to keep Paul on the path Christ had purposed for him. In order to have a winning attitude, commit by focusing on Christ and on the goal of being Christ-like, having confidence that Christ will enable you to do all that He has purposed for you to accomplish.

Choose

Paul chose to reach for the future, the goal, not the past (Philippians 3:13). We can do the same. And Joshua of the Old Testament chose to serve the Lord and challenged Israel to choose how they would live (Joshua 24:15).

Like Joshua, choose to serve the Lord. Make that choice daily. Whenever you are making decisions in your life, whatever they may be, choose the option that will glorify God. When considering where to work, how to dress, how to spend your time, how to talk, always choose the ways that glorify God. Even when considering who to hang out with, choose in order to glorify God.

Also notice that Paul chose to focus on the future, not the past. Do not let the things of the past distract you from the goal for the future. Your past is over. Your childhood is over. The horrible mistakes you have made in the past are over. As a child of God, you have been forgiven. Do not dwell on those things. Do not let Satan convince you that you cannot grow in Christ, or be used in God’s service because of your past. Instead, choose as Paul did to focus on the future. Focus on who you are in Christ, not what you have done or experienced in the past. You are a child of God. You are a member of a royal priesthood. You are God’s beloved. You are called by God for a purpose. Choose to keep focused on those things.

Contend

Paul pressed toward his goal, which was the prize of Christ (Philippians 3:14). This is consistent with Jude’s urging that we contend for the faith (Jude 1:3).

What does it mean to contend? It means to struggle to complete something. When Paul pressed toward his goal, he struggled against any opposition. He did so to complete the goal and win the prize of Christ Jesus. Pressing toward something, contending for something, is a deliberate action. Whenever opposition comes, push through that opposition, even if the opposition is just fatigue. When you are tired and just can’t stay awake to pray, to read God’s word, to go to church, press through the fatigue. Choose to honor your commitments. Let that craving for more of Christ motivate you to press beyond the fatigue.

When money is tight and you don’t see how you will pay the bills, press through the fear. Have confidence in God and pay your tithe first, then watch as God provides all you need. Push through. Contend for your spiritual goals and the goals of the body of Christ.

Completing the Course

Like my dear friend we laid to rest this past week, Paul successfully completed the course set before him (2 Timothy 4:7). He did so because he had and maintained a winning attitude. Let us do the same by craving, committing, choosing, and contending.

Crave more of Christ, including knowing Him more personally;
Commit to follow Christ and the things of God;
Choose every day to look toward the future and make decisions that glorify God; and
Contend for the goal by putting the commitment and choice into action by intentionally pursuing God’s word and understanding that word and the ways of God.

Treasure God! Treasure your relationship with Him! Don’t carelessly cast it here and there. But guard it at all times like you would guard a treasured possession.

Notice all of the characteristics of Paul’s life included focus. He focused his mind, heart, choices, and actions on the goal of attaining more of Christ. We can do the same. And in doing so, we can have confidence that we will maintain a winning attitude and see spiritual growth in ourselves and the body of Christ.