MOTIVATE ME MONDAY

An Extraordinary Motivational Monday: The reality of tragedy and triumph

“I don’t pray for results I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all…I am so blessed in this life.” – Coco Gauff, 2023 U.S. Open Women’s Champion

It is incredible how tragedy and triumph, congratulations and condolences can share life’s stage of erraticism. On one day there is tremendous satisfaction and applause about a championship win, like Coco Gauff’s at the U.S. Open. And then the next day there is this somber silence, a day full of observations, in recollection of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history. Today is 9/11.

Americans over the age of thirty will forever recall where they were and how they felt seeing the Twin Towers fall to their knees and those nearly imperceptible images like flecks of ash on a screen, of people jumping into the air, as a building burned around them.  We will never forget. And yet, we are forced to move on. 

Gauff wasn’t even born when four American planes were highjacked by Islamic terrorists. She would enter a nation that had been leveled, fearful, and hopeless only years before. “Our freedom was under attack,” said President George W. Bush. 

But God gave us the strength to carry on. Psalm 147:3 reads, “God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” When there is brokenness of our heart or our flesh, we need it delicately attended to as not to cause further damage. God is masterful in how to bring us through those times when the earth below us is shattered and seems all hope is gone. 

Christians define our tough times as trials and tribulations, as stated in the Bible. We are assured that we will not get out of this life, without them. As frightening as the realization is, it should also create a sobering awareness. 

We have a one-up on “life”. We should posit, I know I will have trials and tribulations, so when I do have them. I am not unaware. God will help me. Even if it breaks my heart or hurts me in some way. God has already promised to heal and bind it up. 

James wrote, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (1:12 NIV)

We are not in control of what happens around us. No matter how hard we try. And we should try.  But we can absolutely control what happens inside of us, in terms of our emotions. Even if it requires us to get medical help to do so. 

God will always meet us where we are. Which means it is alright to cry for moment, but we should not be depressed for weeks. We can get angry for a moment, but we should not allow such anger to turn into rage and vengeance. Sudden situations may occur that change our trajectory in life, but we should control the extent to which we allow a bad moment to turn into a miserable life.

Let’s be adults. Even young adults, like a nineteen-year-old Gauff, who reasoned that she had lost a match along the way to her triumphant win on Sunday, but she would use her loss to ignite her to her biggest victory, yet.  

The results in life, as in sports, are not always as we would prefer. I don’t have to imagine that somebody’s team lost over the weekend. Sorry.  

Life is not always filled with the colorful pictures we post on our vision boards or Instagram feeds. Sometimes the moments in life are dark, they are private and the tears we cry, burn so intensely that we cannot imagine facing another day. 

But I assure you that if you are still living, and reading this post, you know that the sun goes down and the sun rises again. Therefore, my tender advice is that we should too. 

There is something special for us to do in this topsy, turvy world of highs and lows, joys and pains, splinters and splashes along a beach’s sandy terrain. 

You and I have a purpose, and there is a God that loves our socks off! Seriously, He loves us from our toes to our nose. 

Furthermore, the Creator of the Universe, is way big enough (omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient) to carry us through all our roughest moment, and He is gentle enough to soothe our souls. I cannot imagine a time when I have thought about how much God loves me that it has not blown my mind, quieted every doubt and insecurity about myself and life, and filled me with joy once again.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:18–19 NLT

So, today, a really rough time for Americans, it is also a time to acknowledge that we are still here. As a country, we survived. We are not where we need to be as a nation, or as close as were as a country for the months following 9/11, but we are not as we were on that date in 2001.  

Since then, we have experienced several, hundreds, maybe thousands of blessings (depending on how grateful you are). So we may never forget the losses or the pain we felt, but we should never regret that life goes on—babies are born, games are won, books get written, and dreams come true. And when the next trial comes, because it will–whether small or unfathomable–may we remember to pray as the psalmist in chapter 18 verse 1, “I love you, O Lord, my strength,” I know you will help me get through this.’”

This is my prayer for you today.

In loving memory of all who lost their lives, their loved ones, and those who gave their lives to help them. Peace,

Leah