Have you ever had a dream in your heart that you couldn’t let go? Sometimes God places a vision in you that is far bigger than your current circumstances. While watching the story of the racehorse Secretariat again, this message came to me.
In the early 1970s, Penny Chenery inherited a struggling horse farm and a massive estate tax bill. She entered a racing industry dominated by men who doubted she could succeed. The common advice was simple: sell the farm and walk away. Instead, Penny held on with unwavering faith. Secretariat was born with a heart more than double the size of an average horse, a true miracle. Her persistent faith led Secretariat to win the Triple Crown in 1973, cementing his place in history.
What has God put in your heart that others cannot see? Don’t confuse your current situation with what God has promised. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” You can’t always trust critics, but you can trust God. When he gives the vision, he gives the provision.
While the average horse heart weighs around 8.5 pounds, Secretariat’s heart was an astonishing 22 pounds, perfectly built for unprecedented speed. Long before Penny faced crushing debts, God had already prepared the vehicle for her victory. She obtained success by exercising an unstoppable attitude. In the exact same way, God has already made the way for you. He was already placing giant-sized grace, strength and resources inside your life to ensure you finish your race victoriously.
To settle her family’s estate taxes, Penny syndicated Secretariat’s breeding rights that February for a record $6.08 million, retaining four shares and his 1973 racing earnings. His Triple Crown run that spring, still ahead of him, only multiplied what she had already secured. For decades after, she monetized his legacy through managed media rights, licensed merchandise and public appearances.
Don’t let doubters stop you either. When enemies tried to distract Nehemiah from rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, he declared in Nehemiah 6:3, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” Sometimes the best answer to critics is simply moving forward. When God told Noah to build the ark, Noah didn’t wait for public approval either.
Hold fast to your convictions. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Think of a seed in the ground; growth is happening beneath the surface. Don’t dig up your seed out of impatience. The key word is “now.”
Faith also requires action. Penny Chenery didn’t just wish for a miracle; she took risks. As James 2:26 states, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” If God gave you an idea, start working on it. Stop waiting for conditions to be perfect.
Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Jesus promised in John 16:13, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” When you feel lost, pray. Waiting doesn’t mean he forgot you; he may be preparing you.
When Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont Stakes, he finished 31 lengths ahead, setting a record that still stands today. That oversized heart, as it turned out, was built for exactly that kind of distance, the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. The other horses simply didn’t have that kind of heart. It was impossible for them to come close to Secretariat. Thirty-one lengths ahead is remarkable.
God can do things in your life so extraordinary that others will see his hand. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Don’t stop because the road gets hard. When God gives you the vision, he provides the favorable grace to finish. Keep running, your story isn’t over yet. Think on these things.
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, go to her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on X @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.
