美國一間大學的教授莫妮卡．瓦德華（Monica Wadhwa）說：「人們在即將獲勝時，比獲得勝利時更有力量！」她的研究顯示，人們最有活力和動力的時候，往往不是在獲得勝利之際，而是在即將獲勝的時候。當目標近在咫尺，即將達成之時，常常會給人們不斷追求和奮鬥的動力。相反地，輕鬆得勝會令人失去動力，不再繼續努力。

我們可以用瓦德華的觀點，以新的視角來看哥林多前書9章24-27節和腓立比書3章12-14節。在這兩段經文中，保羅將跟隨基督比喻為賽跑，他強調信徒要盡心竭力尋求基督與福音真理。保羅一心專注「努力面前的」（腓立比書3章13節），並勸勉信徒說：「你們也當這樣跑，好叫你們得著獎賞。」（哥林多前書9章24節）

然而，矛盾的是我們雖然不斷努力，忠心地分享福音（23節）與追求更認識基督（腓立比書3章8節），卻永遠無法達到這個目標。我們總是差那麼一點，絕對沒辦法說自己「已經得著了」（12節）。

但沒關係，因為與基督更親近的經歷才是最重要的。只有祂的大能可以使我們有力量和動力，能全心全力地尋求祂。有朝一日，祂將帶領我們獲得勝利。

“Not winning is in fact more powerful than winning,” Professor Monica Wadhwa argues. Her research reveals that people tend to be most energized and motivated not when they win but when they almost win. Falling just short of one’s ambitions tends to give people the motivation to keep growing and striving. Easy victories, on the other hand, tend to cripple energy and motivation.

Wadhwa’s perspective gives fresh insight into Paul’s analogy used in two passages that compare following Christ to running a race: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and Philippians 3:12-14. In both instances, Paul emphasizes that believers ought to give their pursuit of Christ and the gospel their all, “straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13) and running “in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24).

The paradoxical truth is that what we’re striving for—faithfully sharing the gospel (v. 23) and knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8)—aren’t things we can ever say we’ve achieved. We’ll always fall short. We’ll never be able to say we’ve “already arrived” (v. 12).

But that’s okay—because it’s the experience of drawing ever closer to Christ that matters. It’s only His strength that empowers and motivates us to pour our whole hearts into pursuing Him—the one who will one day carry us to victory.