A Jot from John
The Scriptures reveal the basic truth about man that “. . . as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7). Man has the ability to control his thoughts and thus he controls his destiny.
In a special, specific manner, thoughts often determine our success of failure. Our thinking has its effect, and its effect is not limited to the mental. It can be literal, actual and physical.
Sometimes we may blame circumstances, lack of ability, or shortcomings of others for our failures when our own thinking may be the cause. One of the truly, thrilling sports stories is centered around the “four minute mile,” and illustrates this truth.
Since before the turn of the twentieth century, track participants had been striving to run the mile in the shortest possible length of time. In 1886 Walter George ran the mile in 4 minutes 12.75 seconds. A series of runners reduced the time until in 1945 a Swede, Gunder Haegg, ran the mile in 4 minutes , 1.4 seconds. The world acclaimed the new record. Many authorities agreed that this record was probably the ultimate. They concluded that it was physically impossible for a man to run a mile in less than four minutes. Man, they decreed, could never “break the four minute mile.” And so the record stood. Runners continued to challenge Haegg’s record, hoping to shave off a fraction of a second. Many strove to go under the four minute mark, convinced all the while that it was probably impossible.
For nine years the record stood. Then one day in May of 1954 a young English medical student did the impossible. He ran the mile in three minutes, 59.4 seconds! The world gasped in unbelief. Wasn’t it physically impossible to break the 4 minute mile?
But Roger Bannister had done it. He felt that he could do it and he did it. PEROID! Newspapers carried his picture across the world. His name became a household word. But, in less than two months, another runner broke the four-minute mile. Within two years eleven other men succeeded in running a mile in less than four minutes. The newest record was set in 1999 by Hicham El Guerrouj [Morocco] at 3 minutes and 43 seconds even. Yes, the impossible had become common place.
It was simply because Roger Bannister had proved it could be done. Once other athletes changed their thinking about the four-minute mile, they were able to break repeatedly. They were no longer limited by their thoughts.
Are we letting our thoughts of defeat and failure hinder what we might be able to achieve for the Lord, for our communities and for ourselves?
What might we accomplish if we filled our minds with thoughts of Christian optimism and enthusiasm such as “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13) and “If God be for us, who can be against us” .Who knows, we just might break some “4 minute miles” of our own!
Onward Rejoicing, John B. Daniels, Associate Minister
