My favorite movie is Chariots of Fire. It offers a clear demonstration of the power of motivation. Maybe you've seen it. Eric Liddell, a native of Scotland, was the fastest human on the planet at that time and a devout Christian. I vividly recall a discussion he had with his sister Jenni, who was perturbed at Eric's preoccupation with running and training for the Olympics.She was giving him an earful about how the "devil had gotten into him." She said that Eric had "lost his focus"; that he had replaced his goal of working in the mission with his father and brothers and was instead seeking his own vain glory instead.
Jenni needed to be reminded that all gifts are from God, including athletic abilities. And as we see from Eric's response, running for God's glory gave Eric a deep sense of satisfaction because it was what was in his heart.
I can almost hear the words of Scotland's fastest runner. "Ah, Jenni, I havent lost my focus. I will still go to father's mission when the Olympics are over. But Jenni, God is sovreign over all of my life including my running. And Jenni, the Lord made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure."
Wow. Just thinking about this scene gives me a rush. Like Eric Liddell, when I do what I was created to do in life, I too "feel God's pleasure" because that's what God has put in my heart. It's my destiny!
May we all, like Olympic Champion Eric Liddell, understand how we are internally motivated. May we understand what God has put in our heart, then run toward our divine destiny that He longs to give us. Only then will we be willing to do what it takes to succeed. So I ask you, "What's in your heart?"
We maintain an archive of information and photographs about Eric Liddell on our web site which might be of interest:
ตอบลบEric Liddell