Loss — Not Defeat
About 12 miles into the 1968 Olympic marathon, the runners jostled for position and John Stephen Akhwari was hit. He slammed to the ground.
His knee was dislocated and badly wounded, and his shoulder injured as well.
But he rose.
And he kept going. Limping and in pain.
For fourteen more miles.
When he reached the stadium, the sun had set and only a small portion of the spectators were still in the stands. Of the 57 runners to complete the race, Akhwari was the last one to finish. The remaining crowd cheered.
An interviewer asked him why he had not stopped when he was injured.
Akhwari replied, “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race. They sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”
He lost.
But he was not defeated.
He was victorious.
Because for him, defeat was not an option.
Win or Lose
Victory is defined as winning.
Or so it seems.
In actuality, real victory is when a loss is faced and defeat is never an option.
Regardless of the outcome.
I may have to rest for a time to recover from a loss. But my only hope of real victory is continually counting on God. With His help, I receive the courage to keep trying and never give up.
What helps you face a loss and resolve that defeat is not an option?
Loss Is Not Defeat – What helps you resolve that defeat is not an option? Share on XJoni Vance is an award-winning author of fiction, essay, and poetry. She loves mystery, history, and how God reveals Himself every day.
May God reveal the mystery of His love in your life story.
What a testimony of perseverance and commitment!
Thanks for reading and commenting, Phyllis! I appreciate your support.
I like your idea of (“I may have to rest for a time to recover from a loss. But my only hope of real victory is continually counting on God. With His help, I receive the courage to keep trying and never give up.”) for facing loss and resolving that defeat is not an option. Thank you for a great blogpost.
Thanks for reading and sharing, Jane. I’m glad my post was helpful.
Great post, Joni. Very encouraging.
Thanks, Tim. I’m grateful my blog was encouraging. I appreciate your support.
Joni, good question to think about. I have heard many heart warming stories about marathon runners but not this one!
Thank you for reading and commenting, Judy. I hope my thoughts were helpful. 🙂