That's how winning is done!

My sports-movie-junkie-buddies and I love to debate the place of particular movies in our Top-10 sports movie lists. We disagree on a lot of films (I admit, I think Field of Dreams should be a top-10 all time!), but when it comes to Rocky…he always makes our lists! Personally, I’m a Rocky IV kind of a guy, because it is so Over the Top (which is another great Stallone movie!) and has that great moment where Rocky’s opponent realizes that Rocky can’t be beat and Rocky realizes his unbeatable opponent is suddenly very beatable. Ahhhh, makes me smile just thinking about it.

But today’s speech comes from Rocky Balboa, the sixth movie in the Rocky franchise. Right before Rocky gives this big speech, his son has just told him that he’s tired of being Rocky’s kid. The boy believes life is stacked against him because of his famous father (Rocky) and the son can’t make it on his own because, right now, there are too many odds against him.

In classic Stallone style, Rocky tells his boy the truth about his current situation. Rocky pleads with his boy to stop being a victim and to step up and own his choices. Seriously, you need to watch this film, it has very little to do with boxing and so much to do with life:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/0dKmgPMDnCI]

I love the message: “You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” (Has there been a more eloquent or prolific voice of our day than Rocky?)

The Apostle Paul talked about the beating life deals out in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9:

“We are hard pressed on every side…perplexed…persecuted…struck down…”

The enemy deals out punches and kicks and full frontal assaults on you, especially when you are trying to live the Overboard Life. But check out Paul’s encouragement in the “…” of the above quotes:

“We are hard pressed on every side, BUT NOT crushed.”

“Perplexed, BUT NOT in despair.”

“Persecuted BUT NOT abandoned.”

“Stuck down BUT NOT destroyed.”

How do we live in the hope of these statements? A little later in the chapter Paul gives us the secret: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” The key to standing up and moving forward when life hits hard is to look past the painful and difficult circumstances around us, and to look toward Jesus, whose eternal plan is for our good, and ultimately for His glory. When we focus on Him -- we “can get hit and keep moving forward!”

Don’t give up when you feel bombarded. Don’t surrender ground when the enemy tries to overwhelm you. Don’t relent under the pressure of opposition. For you are not crushed, in despair or abandoned, and you are certainly not destroyed. Through Christ, you will win the prize. And, as Rocky says, “That’s how winning is done!”

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is better on the water.

What Motivates You?

Have you ever identified your motivators? You know, why do you do what you do?  

This is an interesting exercise, and I’m always surprised, sometimes disappointed, and often encouraged when I figure out what compels me. For example, why do you work? Some common answers might be:

1. Need to pay bills
2. Love of what you do
3. You’d be bored if you didn’t
4. Not many other opportunities -- you take what you can get when it comes to work

While there might be hundreds of answers to the question (or to any question involving our intention behind an action: Why do you parent the way you do? why do you study? why do you work on your marriage? etc…), I believe there are three fundamental truths, one of which is at the heart of your answer. Which do you think most applies to you?

1. Fear: I make choices because I’m afraid of the other options
2. Status Quo: I choose to not make waves, living as much like everyone else as I can
3. Faith: I make choices based on who God made me to be, trusting Him with every decision

When your decisions are based on fear, you will be full of anxiety and doubt. You cannot live Overboard when you are worried about what might happen, or how things could turn out if… In Matthew 14, when Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water, he was living miraculously…until the fear of the water made him sink. Ironically, making decisions out of the fear of failing, always leads to failing. You cannot please God when choices are made from fear (Romans 14:23).

Decisions based on the status quo are equally destructive. When you look around and choose to not make waves, you will usually succeed. But without waves, nothing ever changes. Status quo people get to the end of their lives and wish they had lived outside the box, wished they had dared to chase their dreams instead of stuffing them into little boxes and taping them shut.

However, when choices are based in faith, lives are changed. Faith allows us to make educational choices that are best for our kids -- not less worse than the other available options. Faith allows us to see the needs of others, and creatively find solutions to meet them. Faith empowers us to live according to our unique God-given design, not to be bound by social and cultural “norms.” Faith inspires. Faith turns everyday events into meaningful interactions. Faith brings joy. Faith can endure life-altering, routine-shattering events. Faith endures. Faith is at the heart of the Overboard Life.

Are you motivated by fear? Are you living life by default? Or are you inspiring others through faith? In the comments, tell us what has helped you to live more frequently by faith.

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is better on the water!