The Race Is Not To The Swift

Ecclesiastes 9:11

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

Growing up this scripture was a huge consolation to me. It gave me sweet hope! You see I wasn’t the smartest or the prettiest or the most outgoing person around. In fact, I was none of these things. I was a little book smart but I quickly found out that in the real world, book smarts don’t matter much.

Needless to say I always felt disadvantaged in one way or the other. So imagine my joy when I read that the fast don’t always finish first, the strong don’t always win and not all the brilliant people out there get to be wealthy. This meant there was hope for a shy, awkward, insecure girl like me.

But while that scripture comforted me, it took life, trials, joys, pain, ups and downs to really instil in me the confidence that Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians. In short I matured, physically and spiritually but it didn’t happen in a day.

I know that in our fast-paced, put-your-best-foot-forward world, only the very best and brightest is good enough. And maybe you’re out there and you just don’t feel good enough. You may hide your uncertainties behind your preoccupation with your looks, your grades, your job or maybe even your online personality but deep down you struggle with seeing yourself the way God sees you.

I encourage you to go easy on yourself. Yes, you may not be perfect, but you’re God’s treasure. It doesn’t matter what other people think. They don’t own you. They don’t have the plan for your life in their hands. As a matter of fact many of them are just trashing around themselves, trying out everything to see what works, what can give them pleasure, or peace. Don’t beat yourself up. Take every day as it comes and pray for grace. When difficult times come, look for the blessing in them. When great and exciting times come, enjoy every moment. You’ll see yourself growing and changing and becoming the best you there could ever be.

Remember, time and chance may happen to them all but as for you, your times and chances are all in God’s hands. The best place they could ever be.

Remi Roy is a writer and author. She is currently finishing up her Master’s Degree in Emerging Media and Communication from the University of Texas at Dallas. In the past she has worked as a Magazine Editor and written for several magazines and online platforms. Her first book, Ms. Unlikely, is the story of a young woman’s search for meaning, fulfilment and love. Visit http://msunlikely.weebly.com for more information.

 

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