A 20-year-old sophomore from the University of Oregon, Cole Hocker, ran a race for the ages in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Coming from behind out of nowhere at the finish to win the men’s 1500 has been labeled by some as the “Upset of the Games.” After finishing 6th in the Tokyo Olympics, he wasn’t even favored to win a medal. Hocker grew up in a believing family and has attributed his faith as a guiding force, giving him strength and purpose. “I just felt like I was getting carried by the stadium and God,” he said. ”The reason I run is because I have a God-given talent. I just feel God has given me the gift of running, and my job is to give it my best.”
Hocker is a humble, sincere Christian who gave God the glory from his recent win. For others, it’s natural to believe we’re behind our successes when times are good. Why not? Prosperity is usually a result of creativity, ingenuity, or perseverance. Our prideful minds are programmed to think that way. We are more distracted when life goes our way than when it does not. A cloudy perspective of the truth usually appears when we’re not staring at trouble or adversity. Pastor Andrew Taylor once told me that he has always grown closer to God in the valleys than on the mountaintops.
I have the kind of personality that sometimes worries when things are going too well. “When’s it going to end?” I think to myself. When is the other shoe going to drop? It’s symbolic of my ADHD and sometimes waffling faith. It’s great being in control and enjoying a synthesis of everything working out. But that sliding feeling when I can tell I’m leaving the mountaintop, clinging to the edges to avoid dropping to the depths below, feels just as bad as when I’m at my lowest. The sorriest aspect of these feelings is that I forget the obvious during these times.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Ephesians 4:1
The Apostle Paul was imprisoned multiple times. During one of his stints in a Roman prison, he penned four letters known as the “Prison Epistles.” Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians are thought to have been written during this incarceration around A.D. 60-62. You would think this would be a silent, brooding period for him, but instead, this experience had a hugely monumental impact on his ministry and, ultimately, on ours.
Ephesians 4:1 is pretty direct by Paul’s standards. The verse serves as a hinge between understanding the riches of God’s grace and the responsibilities that flow from that understanding. Paul first identifies himself as a “prisoner for the Lord,” which is powerfully symbolic and factual. The truth of his situation was not lost on his contemporaries. He was under house arrest in Rome but also considered himself a prisoner “for the Lord.” Paul saw his imprisonment not as a misfortune but as part of his service to Christ. Unlike most of us in a similar situation, Paul never linked his identity and worth by his chains but by his relationship with God.
The Greek word translated as “worthy” (ἄξιος, axios) conveys the idea of equivalence. Paul called the Ephesians to live in a manner consistent with the high calling they received from God. Our conduct should match our great spiritual blessings and identities in Christ.
God has called us by a divine invitation to become part of His family, to be reconciled to Him through Christ, and to participate in the church’s mission. This calling is both a privilege and a responsibility. It involves the reception of God’s grace and the obligation to live out that grace in everyday life.
None of us like to be challenged to the point of discomfort. No normal person seeks adversity, but glory goes where the focus is. When on a long-distance run, your body keeps telling your mind that it hurts, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s tired. Wouldn’t it be better if we just walked? But runners know that to finish, you have to press on. “You have to tell your mind to be quiet and keep running,” I always tell people. Depending on your conditioning, that can buy you a minute, 10 minutes, or an hour. It’s all about what you’re focused on. Faith works the same way.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31
This is one of the most comforting and empowering statements in all Scripture. Paul affirms that God is indeed for us—He is on our side. The entire argument of Romans 8 supports this idea. God’s actions in sending His Son, giving us His Spirit, and working all things for our good demonstrate His commitment to us.
We shouldn’t have illusions of life without struggles. We will face opposition throughout our lives, but God’s good purposes for us override anything that comes against us. God is bigger than our largest worries. As Max Lucado wrote, “If God is for you, shouldn’t you be for you? So how do you begin to see yourself as God does?” Why are we assured of God’s allegiance? Because it is written throughout the Bible. Because God said so. Our standing with Him is set through our faith in His Son.
It might not always feel that God is on our side when we’re going through hell and back but remember Paul’s example as a “prisoner for the Lord.” Following Christ might lead to suffering, but it is suffering with purpose and meaning. Being on God’s side gives us confidence in His support, perspective on opposition, and the best news: assurance of victory.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
Through the darkest valleys in my life, Psalm 23 has always provided strength and solace. The frightening, foreboding imagery is beautifully dwarfed by the promise of God’s presence. This verse reminds believers that God’s presence is a constant light in the darkest caverns. The Psalm encourages a deep, personal reliance on God, knowing that He is always near. Overcoming fear is never the elimination of threats but the assurance of God’s nearness.
Psalm 23 is a powerful declaration of trust. The writer, King David, acknowledged the presence of evil or danger but chose not to fear it. The reason for this fearlessness is not the absence of danger but the presence of the Lord. This confidence stemmed from a deep trust in God’s protection and care. If you ever have the pleasure of riding your bike down hills, you know you’re going to have to ride uphill too. Valleys are a part of life; everyone experiences them, and while we can’t prevent them, we can prepare for them the way the Psalmist did.
I love it when I feel I’m doing exactly what God wants me to do. Whether it’s at Church, at work, in my neighborhood, or with family, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes, it’s awkward, sometimes there is silence, and sometimes my confidence gets the better of me. Turning over my fears to God wipes away the doubt. I know God calls me to serve Him as best I can. I do whatever I can to discern His will and correct myself daily to live a life worthy of His calling.
For answers, I used to turn to self-help books and tapes. I’d spend hours and hundreds of dollars looking for good advice to become the best person possible, missing out on the truth: God is with me because of nothing I’ve done but because I’m adopted through His son. He is for me; his rod and staff comfort me in the valleys and mountaintops in life. What more can I ask for?
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14
Key Applications:
- Reflect on your actions and attitudes throughout this week. Are they consistent with your identity as a follower of Christ?
- Do you embody Christian virtues, like love, kindness, honesty, and integrity, in all areas of your life?
- Seek accountability from fellow believers who can encourage and challenge you to live out your calling faithfully.