Which one are you? I am challenged to consider this question myself as I examine my own life. This quote from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech delivered April 23rd, 1910 in Paris, France sheds some light on the subject –

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

The choice is mine. The choice is yours, too, dear readers. Will I sit on the sidelines of life, safely critiquing those in the arena who are living out their callings with faith and courage, even though they are living those callings out imperfectly? Or will I dare to enter life’s arena myself, knowing it will be hard, knowing I will fail many times, knowing those in the stands will ridicule my efforts – yet believing that I will also get to experience the joy and the hope of rising from each of my many defeats to continue forward toward the purpose for which I have been called?

I choose to be a participant! Painful and exhausting and daunting and discouraging as it has already proven to be, I choose again every day to remain in the arena “fighting the good fight of faith” rather than to escape to the sidelines, becoming merely a spectator. A spectator will never know defeat but a spectator will also never know victory. A spectator will not know pain but a spectator will also not know joy. As a spectator, I will be devoid of all passion, of all purpose and of the pursuit of a greater good, the pursuit of something greater than myself. I choose the arena! Even though it is the more difficult, the more dangerous, the more uncertain choice – I choose to participate rather than to spectate. I choose the arena even though this is an apt description of life in the arena –

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)

That definitely describes life in the arena. But here’s the advice I follow as a participant rather than a spectator –

” . . . I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. . . . But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

And I remember what Jesus told His disciples –

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

That’s so true! Life in the arena of this world is filled with trouble. It is definitely more challenging than life on the sidelines. BUT – as a participant I am never alone. God was with Daniel in the lion’s den. He was there with Daniel’s three friends when they were in the king’s overheated furnace. God was with Jonah in the belly of the big fish. My Heavenly Father is with me as I face and endure the challenges and hardships in the arena of this world every day. His presence gives me the courage I need to stay in the arena and to keep on fighting the good fight. And God’s presence gives me what I need in order to fight in the arena.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

” ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6)

I am not alone in the arena and I have a clear purpose in being there.

“I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” (Jude 1:3)

“But you, man (woman) of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in His own time” (1 Timothy 6:11-15)

to contend for the faith, to fight the good fight of the faith, to pursue righteousness, to keep His commands, to take hold of the eternal life to which I’ve been called – this is life in the arena, active not passive – I desire to continue to be a participant – never a spectator, so that when my days in the arena come to an end, I will be able to say along with the apostle Paul –

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

Inside the arena the fighting is fierce. Participation is not for the faint of heart. However, you and I have One who is interceding on our behalf, ensuring that we will emerge victorious if we stay the course. We have His promise –

“Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:34-39)

Did you catch that? In the arena of life, you and I are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us” – loved us enough to die in our place on the cross and loves us still with an everlasting love.

that’s all I need to know – I’m more than a conqueror through Jesus – I was created to be a participant, not an idle spectator. So were you, dear readers. Therefore, I will remain in the arena, my face marred by dust and sweat and blood, until He calls me home. How about you?

sincerely, Grace Day