追寻真正富足的奔跑之旅 👣🛤️
Mok Ying Ren was exceptionally athletic from a young age. He was always the fastest kid in school and got the best results in fitness tests. Ying Ren subsequently went on to run competitively and started winning in major competitions – including the 2013 SEA Games Marathon and the Singapore Marathon. At the peak of his career, he was also well sought after by many people and brands. Unbeknownst to him, winning was slowly becoming an addiction and every triumph was a drug – “Who doesn’t like to win? The feeling of standing on a podium with a gold medal is great and addictive.”
However, in 2015, Ying Ren’s right knee suddenly started hurting. MRI scans could not identify the problem, and nothing could get rid of the persistent pain – not even physiotherapy. This mysterious injury hindered Ying Ren’s training and took away his joy in running. He spent countless hours in tears, frustrated and anxious about the uncertain success of his rehabilitation. Feeling stripped of his identity as Singapore’s top runner, he started spiralling downwards and finally hit rock bottom – “Eventually, I came to the end of myself. I had nowhere else to turn to.”
Ying Ren then stepped into a church, hoping to a get his knee healed. He was looking for a miracle, but found far greater things instead. Through the sermon, Ying Ren realised that he was placing his identity in the wrong things. Understanding that he didn’t need to bear the weight of his achievements freed him from frustration and pressure to constantly perform. He found freedom in his new identity as a beloved child of God, and his goals began to change. Ying Ren shifted focus from running towards fame and self-glory to chasing spiritual growth – “I still do not have a good reason for my knee pain but this journey has brought me to Christ. And for that, it is all worth it”.
In life, there are many races to run, but only one truly matters. So, are you running the right race?