Destined for Greatness: Your Tuesday Morning Inspiration with Gerald Chinogara

Have you ever been ambushed by an unpleasant surprise? Vanderlei de Lima, a Brazilian marathon runner, had an unpleasant surprise in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. He had already run over twenty-two miles, with just four more left in the race, when “a crazed man rushed into his path and shoved him off the course into a crowd of spectators.” The crowd wrestled the man away from de Lima, who was able to regain his composure and continue the race.

But de Lima was not able to regain the lead.

Although the incident happened in a matter of seconds, he could not recover the time lost, and finished in third place. In an interview, de Lima said, “If you stop in a marathon, you struggle the next three or four kilometres. It’s hard to get your rhythm back. He was later awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal for sportsmanship for that race.

Surprises in life like what we witnessed with the pandemic this year can throw us off course or stop our forward movement. Attacks on our faith, courage and goals can easily ambush us, and hinder our forward progress in life. Rejection and abandonment could have taken the apostle Paul out of the race, but he kept running. Paul didn’t let rejection ambush his courage and determination, and neither did Jesus.

In the busyness of a human life, with all its wonders and trials, it is so very easy to miss the point, to focus on what is transient; to get caught up in trivialities while missing that which counts and to major on minor things. Though de Lima did not win the gold medal, history still recorded him as the bronze medal winner for the men’s marathon at the 2004 Summer Olympics despite the surprise ambush. He chose to major on the major thing which was finishing the race. Obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off our goals. Don’t allow the pandemic to stunt your progress, yes you might not still win the gold medal, but continue running the race.

To navigate these deeply uncertain times with confidence, optimism and excellence; it is important to embrace a mindset that sees the ultimate aim of a life beautifully lived being to work with everything life throws and use it aa pivot to be catapulted nearer to expressing your natural gifts and grow your native greatness. To be amid a crisis and still maintain your tranquillity, happiness and power is what makes a master and a genuine spiritual genius.