It’s a common sight in the staging lanes of most Drag Racing Series events - involving both professional and sportsman racers. On a growing basis there are Racers For Christ chaplains taking time to pray with various drivers and teams prior to their qualifying and elimination runs on the track. And it is a privilege that we take seriously, as we consider it an honor to pray for racers at many of the 1,200 events per year that our RFC chaplains cover throughout the spectrum of motorsports.

With this opportunity, however, comes the necessity to teach racers how to pray properly. Give any racer or competitor any wish he or she desires and chances are that the number one response will be … a win.  If you have a competitive nature, your drive to be successful will usually be measured by your ability to win – whether it’s a pass down the track or a best appearing award.  It’s everyone’s desire to be a winner.

Praying to win

It’s a common sight in the staging lanes of most Drag Racing Series events - involving both professional and sportsman racers. On a growing basis there are Racers For Christ chaplains taking time to pray with various drivers and teams prior to their qualifying and elimination runs on the track. And it is a privilege that we take seriously, as we consider it an honor to pray for racers at many of the 1,200 events per year that our RFC chaplains cover throughout the spectrum of motorsports.

With this opportunity, however, comes the necessity to teach racers how to pray properly. Give any racer or competitor any wish he or she desires and chances are that the number one response will be … a win.  If you have a competitive nature, your drive to be successful will usually be measured by your ability to win – whether it’s a pass down the track or a best appearing award.  It’s everyone’s desire to be a winner.

In the race of life a strong spiritual commitment and lifestyle is God’s desire for us, thereby enabling us to …“run with perseverance the race of life set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).  In God’s perspective true winning is in our moral and spiritual well-being, not in some earthly measure of human effort or performance. However, this presents a serious problem when we develop a tendency to pray to always win. The typical rationale that God surely hears on a weekly basis goes something like this: “God, it would be such a great example to others if you allowed me to win. I’ll even give you credit in my victory circle interview!”

There are a number of reasons why it is unwise and improper to pray to win.  Perhaps you have never thought about these issues from God’s perspective, but consider the following items with me.

1)   You are not the only person praying for the same win.  When you realize that the driver in the other lane may also be praying for the same result— to win this race or event—you should quickly realize that you are praying a prayer that God cannot answer.  If there can only be one on-track winner per pair, then God is unable to grant such a request even if he wanted to do so. (And four rounds of dead-heat ties will get boring.)

2)   God does not show favoritism by making some people winners and some losers. It’s God’s character to be fair to all people, and he seeks to maintain this level of fairness with all mankind.

a d v e r t i s e m e n t

Click to visit our sponsor's website 

3)   We are accountable for the stewardship of our gifts and talents. We are expected to develop and utilize the gifts and talents God has given us. Those who work harder are usually rewarded with winning results—not due to God’s choosing but due to the natural results of hard work and an application of one’s talents.

4)   If God ordained that certain people should win all the time, it would not be a great witness to others. It would, in fact, cause others to despise a God who shows such a degree of favoritism to some and not to others. What you might think would cause others to seek God more would actually cause them to seek him less out of resentment and a sense of hopelessness.

So how do we pray for the hundreds of racers who request our service? If it isn’t proper for us to pray for them to win, how then do we pray? We believe it is entirely acceptable and proper to pray for any of the following results:

•  A driver’s safety and protection

•  Wisdom in decision-making

•  Alertness and clear thinking

•  God’s help for team members to do their very best

•  And that God will be honored regardless of the results
    

a d v e r t i s e m e n t

Click to visit our sponsor's website

Furthermore, a lesson we all need to learn is that God is often more greatly honored in our losing than in our winning. Very few people need lessons in how to react properly to winning, but most people could use some help in learning how to gracefully deal with loss. This is where a person of faith can often have his or her greatest testimony by maintaining a grateful heart and a winning attitude regardless of trackside performance. Other people will be inspired by such behavior.

So when you see one of our RFC chaplains roaming the staging lanes at your next event, please feel free to ask that person to pray for you. It will be that chaplain’s privilege to do so. It’s why we are there.