One could posit that what separates winners from losers is the character trait of tenacity. In the aftermath of a bitter defeat, Donald Trump issued a clarion call to his base in Orlando, FL, on Feb. 28: I may be down, but I’m not out. Yes, the proverbial rising phoenix drove Conservative Political Action Conference attendees to their feet with wild applause and likely sent shivers up the spines of progressives.
A Not-So-Lone Survivor
This tenacity comprises the double portion of persistence and resolve that rears its head when obstacles are thrown in the way of a winner. Some claim that “failure is the very driving force behind the strong and successful.” There are stories aplenty about these overcomers:
Early in his career, Walt Disney was fired and went bankrupt. Conrad Hilton’s business went under in the first year. Abraham Lincoln failed at more than one business and lost his job and eight elections; somewhere in between he had a nervous breakdown. Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza was number 1,390 in the MLB draft pick – the lowest-numbered player ever to earn a Cooperstown plaque.
Stories of successful people are littered with hurdles that had to be overcome because they refused to lose. Their drive to win would not, could not be vanquished. More than anything else, these qualities describe the person of Donald J. Trump. As Liberty Nation’s Tim Donner wrote, “Trump has always been about one thing above all others. Add up the wealth, fame, and power he has amassed, and the sum is his one real passion: winning.”
This type of tenacity is nothing less than maddening for those opposed to the former president. Despite the worldly gains of winning the presidency and the Senate, anti-Trumpers are unable to move on. Their anger has not dissipated – almost as if their winning made no difference because they are incapable of reaching a state of satisfaction. It appears that many remain in bondage to Trump Derangement Syndrome, so much so that “TDS” should earn a place in the handbook of mental illness.
Trump’s inability to roll over and cry “uncle” recalls a verse from the book of Isaiah (54:17 NLT):
“But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
The Christian left will undoubtedly recoil at the thought of Trump being associated with such a verse. It may claim that Trump is no believer, and thus the scripture does not apply. But who knows what lurks in the heart of a man? As 1 Samuel 16:7 put it so aptly, “… man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Whether Trump is a confessing Christian or not, whether God protects him or not – this is a man who refuses to give up. He remains someone still fervently on a mission, so perhaps the left is right to be worried.
~
Read more from Leesa K. Donner.
