The Olympics is an amazing celebration of remarkable sporting talent from across the world. There is so much joy and celebration, although this is not the case for every athlete.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been captivated watching the Olympics. There is so much joy and celebration although this is not the case for every athlete. There are tears of despair as well as happiness. Coupled with all the moments of success there are the heart-breaking moments. Like when a gymnast falls off the beam, a swimmer misses a medal by a hundredth of a second or an injury leaves a contestant unable to complete their event. My heart broke for every one of those athletes. I cannot imagine the heartache of training so hard for four years then having it all snatched away from you in a heartbeat.

We are not all Olympic athletes; most of us do not possess even a smidgeon of the immense athletic talent these Olympians have. However, we can all relate to having moments where our hard work does not pay off in the way we had hoped. When we try our best but it isn’t enough. As disappointing as these moments are, this is when we can cling to God as our rock, a repetitive theme in the Bible. I love the poetic nature of Psalm 18:2, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

This verse provides solace for Christians when they feel defeated.  God is our rock and fortress when the world feels too much to cope with, he is our foundation that keeps us strong. The verse describes God as a place where we can take refuge. When we make mistakes we want to run from the world and hide, taking sanctuary where we feel safe. The Lord is that place for Christians. He will bring us comfort, peace and the strength to get back up and continue trying.

If you find yourself in a time of pain and anguish, such as some Olympians have found themselves recently, do not hesitate to meditate and take comfort in the Lord.