They say that you will know you
are a competitive swimmer when your non-swim friends just stop inviting you to
things, because they assume you’ll have swim practice anyway. They say that you
will know you are a completive swimmer when you smell like chlorine all day,
every day. I meet those criteria. I am a competitive swimmer. I swim more than
twenty hours each week. But, this year I’ve been learning a lot more from
swimming than just stroke technique.
At swim, I sometimes deal with
coaches who are happy with me when I swim fast, and frustrated with me when I
don’t. At swim, I sometimes deal with teammates who, for whatever reason,
exclude me from their “group” of friends. No matter how well I do at a swim
meet, there is always the internal and external pressure to get a faster time at
the next meet. The swim world can be intense. I know that many other SCA
students (and parents) also experience these and similar situations in their own
sports, classes, or jobs. Sometimes we can be tempted to compare ourselves with
others. We can struggle with low self-esteem, or with contentment. There is a
temptation to let other people or our circumstances tell us our worth. I think I
am coming to learn the solution to these
temptations.
As Christians, we
belong to Jesus. We are His children first and foremost. He made us and has a
plan for us, and that is where our identity lies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “I
have been bought with a price and I belong to God.” So, no matter what the
circumstance, we must remember these truths. There will always be a time in our
lives when we feel “less- than”, or like we don’t belong. I know when my dad was
out of work he needed to remember that he was so much more than “a job”. Some of
us may not be accepted into the college of our choice, or get the part in the
play or the job that we had hoped for. A boss, teacher, coach, or friend may
leave us feeling like we are not enough. Life on earth will always bring
challenges. This is when we need to rest in the truth of God’s
Word.
God loves you. Jesus
died for you. He is good and we can trust Him with our lives. Yes, I am a
competitive swimmer. I am also a student, daughter, sister, musician, and
friend. Most importantly, however, I am a child of a Faithful God!! I live for
His approval alone. I want to encourage you to do the same. Let’s live our lives
for the glory of our amazing God! Ephesians 1:3-8 says, “All praise to God, the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before
He made the world God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without
fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by
bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and
it gave Him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace He has
poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace
that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He
has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and
understanding.”
"I have been crucified
with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the
body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
(Galatians 2:20)
"I have told you this
so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." (John
15:11)
Love,
Tessa
