Embracing Life's Unexpected Journey with Faith

 

Summary

In life, everyone has a story, and each story is significant. However, the story we envision for ourselves often diverges from the one we end up living. Today, I had the privilege of speaking with Jim Miano, an Olympic athlete and leader at Compassion International, about his journey and how it reflects the broader narrative of life. Drawing from 1 Corinthians, where Paul compares life to a race, we are reminded that while athletes train for a temporary prize, we strive for an eternal one. Jim's story is a testament to this truth.

Jim's Olympic dream began in third grade, inspired by the 1972 Munich Olympics. Despite moving frequently due to his parents' work, athletics became his way to connect and excel. His dream was to represent the United States, but life had other plans. After a promising start at SMU, an injury shattered his Olympic aspirations. Yet, in this moment of despair, Jim's faith was tested. He realized that faith isn't just for good times but is crucial during hardships.

Despite the setback, Jim's story took an unexpected turn. He was invited to represent El Salvador, his birth country, in the Olympics. This opportunity, though not what he initially wanted, became a story he wouldn't change. It allowed him to witness the vibrant Christian movement in South Korea, which profoundly impacted his life. This experience shifted his focus from athletics to a lifelong calling to serve the church.

Jim's journey illustrates that while we may not get the story we want, the story we receive can be even more meaningful. His experiences have opened doors for him to impact others, from fostering sports programs for impoverished children to leading Compassion International. His story encourages us to keep running our race, trusting that God has a purpose for our lives, even when the path is unclear.

Key Takeaways:

- The Power of Faith in Adversity: Jim's story highlights that true faith is not just for the good times but is essential during life's challenges. When faced with setbacks, like his career-ending injury, Jim's faith was a source of strength and resilience. This teaches us that faith is about trusting God's plan, even when it diverges from our own. [07:06]

- Embracing Unexpected Paths: Sometimes, the story we don't want becomes the story we wouldn't change. Jim's journey from aspiring to represent the U.S. to competing for El Salvador illustrates how unexpected paths can lead to profound experiences and opportunities. This reminds us to remain open to God's redirection in our lives. [09:15]

- The Eternal Prize: Drawing from Paul's metaphor of life as a race, Jim's story emphasizes the importance of striving for an eternal prize. While athletes train for temporary glory, our focus should be on the lasting impact of our lives and the eternal rewards of faithfulness. [01:34]

- Impact Beyond Personal Achievement: Jim's Olympic experience opened doors for him to serve others, from fostering sports programs for children to leading Compassion International. His story shows that our achievements can be a platform for greater service and impact, transcending personal success. [11:51]

- God's Purpose in Our Stories: Jim's journey underscores that God has a purpose for each of our stories, even when they don't unfold as we expect. By trusting in God's plan and persevering through challenges, we can find meaning and fulfillment in the story He writes for us. [13:23]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:38] - Introduction to Jim Miano
- [01:06] - The Corinthian Games and Olympic Metaphor
- [02:03] - Jim's Olympic Dream
- [03:43] - Pursuing the Olympic Dream
- [04:27] - Challenges and Moving
- [05:36] - Adjusting to Unmet Expectations
- [06:09] - Injury and Faith Tested
- [07:32] - Praying for Healing
- [08:05] - Representing El Salvador
- [09:15] - Embracing a New Story
- [10:03] - Witnessing the Church in South Korea
- [11:02] - A New Calling
- [12:22] - Impact of the Olympic Experience
- [13:09] - Encouragement to Keep Running

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NIV) - "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

Observation Questions:
1. What metaphor does Paul use in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 to describe the Christian life, and how does it relate to Jim Miano's story? [01:06]
2. How did Jim's Olympic dream begin, and what were some of the challenges he faced in pursuing it? [02:03]
3. What was Jim's initial reaction to his career-ending injury, and how did it test his faith? [07:06]
4. How did Jim's opportunity to represent El Salvador in the Olympics change his perspective on his life's story? [09:15]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the metaphor of life as a race in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 help us understand the importance of perseverance in our faith journey?
2. In what ways did Jim's story illustrate the concept of embracing unexpected paths, and how can this be applied to our own lives? [09:15]
3. How did Jim's experience in South Korea influence his calling to serve the church, and what does this teach us about God's purpose in our stories? [10:03]
4. What does Jim's story reveal about the role of faith during times of adversity, and how can this be an encouragement to us? [07:06]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when your life took an unexpected turn. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience about trusting God's plan? [09:15]
2. Jim's faith was tested during his injury. How do you typically respond when your faith is challenged, and what steps can you take to strengthen your faith during difficult times? [07:06]
3. Consider the metaphor of life as a race. What are some practical ways you can "train" for the eternal prize in your daily life? [01:34]
4. Jim's story shows the impact of embracing a new calling. Is there an area in your life where you feel God might be redirecting you? How can you remain open to this possibility? [11:02]
5. How can you use your personal achievements or experiences as a platform to serve others and make a positive impact, similar to Jim's work with Compassion International? [11:51]
6. Think about a current challenge you are facing. How can you apply the lesson of finding strength in faith during adversity to this situation? [07:06]
7. Jim's journey underscores the importance of God's purpose in our stories. How can you seek to understand and align with God's purpose for your life, even when the path is unclear? [13:23]

Devotional

Day 1: Faith as a Source of Strength in Hardship
In life, faith is not just a comfort during good times but a vital source of strength during adversity. Jim's story illustrates this truth as he faced a career-ending injury that shattered his Olympic dreams. It was in this moment of despair that his faith was truly tested. He learned that faith is about trusting in God's plan, even when it diverges from our own desires. This trust in God provided him with resilience and hope, allowing him to navigate through the challenges he faced. [07:06]

"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised." (Hebrews 10:36, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent challenge you faced. How did your faith influence your response, and how might you deepen your trust in God's plan during future hardships?


Day 2: Embracing God's Redirection
Life often takes unexpected turns, leading us down paths we never envisioned. Jim's journey from aspiring to represent the U.S. in the Olympics to competing for El Salvador is a powerful example of embracing God's redirection. Although it wasn't the story he initially wanted, it became a story he wouldn't change. This unexpected path opened doors to profound experiences and opportunities, reminding us to remain open to God's guidance and redirection in our lives. [09:15]

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16:9, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a time when your life took an unexpected turn. How can you remain open to God's redirection and trust that His plans are for your good?


Day 3: Striving for the Eternal Prize
In the race of life, our focus should be on the eternal prize rather than temporary glory. Drawing from Paul's metaphor, Jim's story emphasizes the importance of striving for lasting impact and eternal rewards. While athletes train for temporary achievements, our lives should be centered on faithfulness and the eternal significance of our actions. This perspective encourages us to prioritize what truly matters in the grand scheme of life. [01:34]

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." (1 Corinthians 9:24, ESV)

Reflection: What are some areas in your life where you are focused on temporary achievements? How can you shift your focus to strive for the eternal prize?


Day 4: Using Achievements as a Platform for Service
Our achievements can serve as a platform for greater service and impact beyond personal success. Jim's Olympic experience opened doors for him to serve others, from fostering sports programs for children to leading Compassion International. His story demonstrates that our accomplishments can be used to bless others and make a difference in the world, transcending personal gain. [11:51]

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your achievements and talents. How can you use them as a platform to serve others and make a positive impact in your community?


Day 5: Finding Purpose in God's Story for Us
God has a purpose for each of our stories, even when they don't unfold as we expect. Jim's journey underscores the importance of trusting in God's plan and persevering through challenges. By doing so, we can find meaning and fulfillment in the story He writes for us. This perspective encourages us to embrace our unique journey and trust that God is working for our good, even when the path is unclear. [13:23]

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, ESV)

Reflection: How can you embrace the unique story God is writing for your life, even when it doesn't align with your expectations? What steps can you take to trust His purpose more fully?

Quotes

"Don't you know that in a race all the runners run but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to win the prize. They do it to they they enter into strict training, he says, to win a prize that will not last, but we do it we enter into something like strict training to win a prize that will last forever." [00:01:18]

"Well, the Olympics was a dream come true. There's no way around it, and it was unbelievably spectacular for me. Just walking in the opening ceremonies, you know, it was just amazing. And the dream to go to the Olympics actually started like 16 years before it actually happened, and I was in third grade in Nicaragua, and I saw the 72 Munich Olympics, and I just was mesmerized and I fell in love with the Olympics at that time." [00:02:21]

"My parents, in 65 years of marriage, moved 41 times, so I moved from country to country, house to house, eight schools before graduating high school. So I was always a new kid on the block, and they were all mostly outside the United States in Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Panama, and Colombia, and the Philippines. And so a way for me to become, get to know friends and get to be liked was athletics and achievement." [00:03:54]

"When I went to SMU back in 1983, we won the national title. I set the school record in the decathlon, and so I was set for two more years. I got red-shirted that next year, and then I was going to have two senior years and go to business school at SMU after graduating with an engineering degree." [00:06:06]

"Coach calls me into his office and he says, 'Jimmy, I know your commitment to God, and it's affected me, it's affected our athletes. In light of your commitment, I have one question for you: How could your God let this happen to you? You're such a hard worker.' Wow, 21 years old, and I didn't know why God let that happen to me." [00:06:48]

"All I know is that a faith isn't a faith if you only have it in good times, and these are not good times. Wow, well, I understand that, but you know, we vie for the national title every year, and I can't afford to give you the scholarship for business school after you graduate. You know, you got your four years, but I think we need to end it." [00:07:09]

"Through a set of circumstances that are just crazy, the president of the Olympic Federation of El Salvador sends me a letter and invites me to, would I consider representing them at the Pan-American games in '87. And I did. I got fourth there, but I tore the muscle again in the eighth event and made it through the ninth and tenth event to keep my fourth spot." [00:08:01]

"Sometimes, sometimes you get to the point where the story you don't want becomes a story you wouldn't want to change. Oh, and that happened to me. You know, El Salvador opened up the opportunity to live out a childhood dream and had a few highlights there, beating the world record holder in three of the ten events." [00:09:13]

"I went for an athletic experience. I came home with a calling to serve the church with my life, and that was the turning point for me. And God let me have that Olympic dream as a child, but he used it to give me a calling for the rest of my life to serve his church." [00:10:55]

"Because of my connections to the Olympic Committee in El Salvador, Compassion has a partnership, and we do a Compassion Olympics every year. 10,000 of our participants engage in it, and the Olympic Committee has trained our pastors to run a lot of their sports system in El Salvador." [00:11:48]

"Paul says, 'I have fought the fight, I have finished the race,' and we never know what the story is going to lead to. All we know that it matters, it's worth running the race, and God has a story for us. So keep running today, just for one day, you just keep running." [00:13:14]

"This series is all about stories. Everybody has a story, and everybody's story matters, and we want to know about your story, whether it's a story of coming to faith or a story of spiritual growth. Whatever it is, we're here for you." [00:14:47]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Aug 12, 2024. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?