We’ve all heard the quotes about persevering. We’ve read the biblical exhortations to stay firm and diligent. We know that things change and with those changes come new opportunities. But sometimes the motivational quotes fail to motivate as the reality of oppression and difficulty take their toll on your psyche. I don’t know about you, but every once in a while have a day when I feel like transitioning to a new career or, at least, punching something. Obstacles – whether it’s people’s ineptitude, the lack of opportunity, misunderstandings, the lack of resources, or whatever – can sometimes drain the joy and energy out of you.

Recent experiences in the worlds of sports and politics, though, remind me that when you are doing God’s will, great things can happen in spite of pressing circumstances. Specifically, if I were a professional golfer over the past several years, I probably would have resigned myself to the idea that as long as Tiger Woods was on the scene coming in second was the moral equivalent of taking first place. And then, out of nowhere, Tiger is gone. A whole pack of skilled professionals suddenly had a new lease on life, completely unforeseen or predictable. It is unfortunate that it came at the expense of another person, but the outcome was undeniable: new life and opportunity for the rest of the field.

Barack Obama’s recent fall from the heights of popularity is another case in point. One day he’s “the next big thing,” he handily wins his first national campaign, and then he’s coronated. The next thing you know, he’s no longer the man of the people. The same abilities that were widely heralded – his intelligence, deft instincts, smooth communication, regal presence – suddenly became liabilities, now interpreted as naiveté, misreading of situations, teleprompter expertise, and arrogance. Incredibly, studies show that his presence on the mid-term campaign trail actually hurts the prospects of some of his colleagues seeking re-election.

Granted, our culture changes very rapidly, producing an abundance of new information, connections, opportunities, heroes and villains. We are able to influence some of those shifts, but not others. Perhaps more importantly, we sometimes forget that in a society in which few people have a solid, consistent worldview based upon permanent truth principles, everything is always up for grabs. The implication for leaders is that you have to be driven to lead by appropriate motivations. You are more likely to finish the race – and to finish strong – if your reason for participating has less to do with you than it reflects a desire to honor God by using the gifts He entrusted to you.