Winter Olympians Likened to Motherhood
Did this title make you smile? I hope so! Every week when I write these posts, I ask the Lord to give me a topic that seems relevant, and I hope, one that is encouraging to you. Here we go!
I love watching the Olympic games, seeing the rigor of competition, hearing the stories of sacrifice, and rooting for our USA competitors! I have a friend whose son is a paralympic athlete, competing in the Olympic sport of goalball. He is legally blind, married with four children, and practices law. She has shared his level of commitment, his intense training, the sacrifices, his resilience, perseverance during tough times, and detailed preparation.
As my husband and I talked about which events we want to watch during the winter Olympics, I had an ah-ha moment. Motherhood is a metaphor for an Olympian! Competing at this level of achievement is not unlike entering into motherhood. Allow me to explain as I draw some parallels that I believe are genuine and sincere. How is participating in the Olympics akin to motherhood?
Despite the hard work, each brings joy and fulfillment – the toddler’s first step and the Olympian’s first practice session. In contrast, there can be heartache and disappointment, also. Years of training and years of rearing children can bring forth fruit of disappointment as mishaps take place on the ski slopes, and as older children make choices that do not align with your values and their upbringing. However, we know that as Christians, our stability and joy is found in Jesus only and not in the outcomes of our children. Likewise, for an Olympian, his or her stability and joy is also found in Jesus, not the medal nor the fleeting cheers of the crowd.
Both require a level of sacrifice. Moms and Olympians alike sacrifice sleep, friendships, personal goals among other things in order to fulfill their role for the family or their athletic team. Moms pour out their lives in sacrificial ways as a daily reminder that motherhood is a laying down of ‘other things’ as you depend on Jesus for the most challenging and yet, most satisfying role of your life. Both require a deep commitment and unwavering dedication without assurance of the outcome. In motherhood, an eternal soul weighs in the balance. No ski slope nor ice rink can compare to that!
Athletes and mothers often face setbacks that test resilience, and this is where teamwork comes into play. In order to get through these seasons, parents must rely on support systems, similar to how athletes must lean into trainers and doctors. This took place in my family of origin when my mom contracted tuberculosis in the ‘50’s. My aunt and uncle raised my brother and me for three years, and our church family and others cared for my dad and three older siblings. This story of teamwork and resilience had a beautiful ending, and my family grew stronger for it. Likewise, muscles of an athlete are strengthened through resilience and teamwork.
Overcoming challenges and setbacks, as an Olympian or as a Mom, test perseverance and faith in the Lord. As Elisabeth Elliot says in her book entitled, “Suffering is Never for Nothing,” some moms suffer more than others during their journey of motherhood. My greatest spiritual lessons came as a result of motherhood. The well-ordered life and my self-sufficiency came to a screeching halt. While difficult, the fruit of this was an absolute blessing, and the struggles were designed by my Creator to take me to the Garden and ultimately, to the Cross. Galatians 2:20 became my life verse.
Extensive preparation is necessary for Olympians and for Moms. In preparation, you probably read parenting books, learned from experienced moms, planned details of the nursery, and looked forward to game-day…lasting 18 years! However, nothing could truly prepare you for how your life would change. Unlike the newscasters who spotlight the up-close and personal lives of Olympians, allowing us to see their personal struggles and extensive preparation, Moms often feel shame and inadequacy, keeping personal struggles locked down for fear of criticism.
If you are suffering at a deep level of discouragement, I encourage you to seek help. As we look to Jesus, the Suffering Servant as described in Isaiah 53, He is the answer for our hope and our comfort. He, too, suffered unimaginably and is well acquainted with ours. However, in order to appropriate this biblical truth of hope - our sufficiency in Christ, sometimes we need another – a wise Christian counselor to assist in the journey. This is how God has designed the body of Christ to function, and what a beautiful thing!
In closing, while the Olympian might stand on a podium and receive the gold medal in front of cheering crowds, your reward is kept in ‘escrow.’ If you know Jesus as your Savior, then you are heaven-bound. Perhaps there will be a special crown for moms who have ‘finished the race’ and who have remained faithful to the task of motherhood. I wonder… perhaps our ‘well done’ is measured by our daily dependence on Jesus, by those unseen sacrifices made in the quiet hours of the night, by lullabies sung, by books read, by broken hearts comforted, by tender tears wiped dry, and by prayers prayed. Precious Mom, you are an Olympian.
