Marathon!

Did you see the headline last week: “Isner Wins Marathon Wimbledon Match, 70-68?”

In a match of the ages, American John Isner defeated Nicolas Mahut of France in, what we call here, a Texas death match.

The match lasted over 11 hours. The fifth set alone lasted 8 hours and 11 minutes. The match comprised of 980 points.

How do you survive after that win? How do you carry on after that loss? I think both will do fine. Let me explain.

Seizing the day with lofty goals and high expectations is great—if you live only one day. But to live a life with that kind of aspiration can be draining. It is no accident that too often, the smartest people do not get their doctorates, the most talented athletes don’t last, the greatest actors perform in fewer movies, the most talented singers produce fewer records, the brilliant executives do not become president of the firm…

This tennis match is a great example of how to live life. Both players were dedicated. Both gave great effort. Both failed many times. Both fought on. There are more talented players, who would have packed it in much sooner.

A life, given years, is a life filled with many failures. Those whom we view as successful are people, who have a high tolerance for failure. They see life as a marathon; therefore, they shake off any failure along the way and move on. Too often, the best and the brightest cannot tolerate failure, so they quit.

I predict both Isner and Mahut will squeeze every bit out of their individual talent before their careers are done. Consequently, both will retire as successes. And, both will be remembered, if for nothing else, for this epic battle.

So, if you are sitting there this morning lamenting your lack of brains or brawn, be of good cheer. Perhaps, you are blessed with an even more important component—the temperament to proceed even after failure.

Rom. 5:3-5: “3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”