Enduring Faith

A Lifelong Mindset

It has been seven years since Cindy’s Achilles injury, and she came back stronger than ever. She set a new national record, made it to her third Olympic Games, and medaled in major championships. Through it all, Cindy has seen God’s hand at work in her situation.

Cindy says, “He has shown me that He can give me strength when I am feeling weak. He can help me persevere when it feels like I am not making progress. Most importantly, He has shown me that my athleticism is a gift from Him. When I surrender my goals to Him, He can make amazing things happen.”

Athletes need to remember that competing is a gift from God. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of performance pressure, injuries, and losses. When you face obstacles, you might lose sight of what truly matters. But when you keep your eyes on God, you compete with a renewed perspective. Surrendering your goals to God does not mean you stop working hard, but it means you trust Him with the results. That alone can elevate your performance because you know it’s in His hands.

Keeping scripture in mind is important for Cindy. The first verse gives a great view of surrender. The second is an incredible promise of strength.

• God has plans to give us hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
• Waiting on the Lord gives renewed strength (Isaiah 40:31)

In the Isaiah verse, there is a poetic phrase that paints a picture of God's strength being like a soaring eagle. This is one of those mental images that captures what every athlete longs for.

Action Points:

• Surrender your goals to God: Offer your dreams, goals, and aspirations to God. Ask Him to guide you in every step.
• Reflect on your athletic gifts: How has God equipped you as an athlete? Take time to thank Him for your unique skills and the athletic opportunities you have.
• Compete with a godly mindset: Before your next game or race, take a moment to pause and shift your mindset. Remember, you are competing for God’s glory, not just your own achievement.

Prayer:

“Dear Jesus, thank you for the abilities you’ve given me and the opportunities to compete. Help me to trust in you no matter the outcome. Give me enduring faith and remind me that every performance is for your glory. Let my actions reflect your love and grace in all I do.”

Summary

The biblical story of Joseph has applications to the life of an athlete.

Joseph, one of Jacob’s sons, had dreams of greatness and leadership as a young man. But his journey had hardships and setbacks. It is like an athlete's injuries or failures. He experienced bad calls and injustice. Despite the trials, Joseph trusted God, maintained his integrity, and continued to persevere.

Over time, Joseph’s faith and perseverance saw a reward. He rose to power and ultimately saved his family and many others from famine. Joseph understood that God was working, even when the path seemed unclear. Through it all, he gave glory to God.

Our prayer is that before, during and after your competition, you will have a similar perspective. Keep God's word in front of you and focus your eyes on Him!

Next Steps

Athletes in Action has other plans dealing with sports. You can use those plans to also equip you for competition. You can find those plans on the AIA Connection page in the Bible App. Click the "Follow" button to receive notifications of new content.

Take Action

You may also want to consider a more personalized journey from our publisher page. We have many other ideas and other Bible App plans to help you spiritually as an athlete. Please come by to say hello.