Don't Waste Your Sports

1. Sports are a gift from God meant to glorify Him, not ourselves

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31)

God-centered perspective. This verse applies to all aspects of life, including sports. It calls us to examine our hearts for idolatry and devote ourselves to glorifying God in everything we do. Sports, like anything else, are an opportunity to bring glory to God rather than ourselves.

Misuse of sports. Many athletes participate in sports without understanding their potential for God's glory. Common signs of misdirected priorities include:

• Having no higher purpose than winning
• Being more concerned about improving athletic skill than growing in godliness
• Using sports to glorify ourselves rather than God

Proper use of sports. Playing sports to the glory of God means:

• Making worship of God our primary goal
• Applying the gospel to our hearts
• Becoming more like Christ through our athletic pursuits

2. Understanding God's character is essential for proper sports participation

God is eternal, infinite and almighty. He has us in his hands; we never have him in ours.

God's attributes. To properly glorify God through sports, we must first understand who He is:

• Eternal: God has no beginning and no end
• Infinite: God has no physical limitations and is present everywhere
• Almighty: God accomplishes whatever He pleases

Christ-centered revelation. God shows us His glory most clearly in the person of Jesus Christ. Through Christ's death on the cross for our sins, we see God's mercy and our only hope for forgiveness.

Transformed perspective. When we encounter the eternal, almighty, infinite, and merciful God, our hearts change. We become less likely to brag or seek admiration, and instead see every play as an opportunity to draw attention to God's greatness.

3. Gratitude transforms our athletic experience and honors God

Each of us tends to receive gifts from God without thanking him. We neglect the Giver rather than glorifying him.

Recognizing God's gifts. Sports and the ability to play them are gifts from God that bring many benefits:

• Rest and refreshment from daily work
• Physical and mental health
• Joy and enjoyment

Purposeful gratitude. These gifts are meant to:

• Reveal God's greatness and graciousness
• Create fresh gratefulness to Him
• Inspire new affection for Him

Practical application. Before practices and games, take time to thank God for:

• The gift of sports
• Your health and ability to play
• The weather and conditions
• Teammates and coaches
• Any other blessings related to your athletic experience

4. Humility in sports attracts God's attention and grace

God is decisively drawn to the humble. The humble athlete is the one who draws God's attention, and in this sense, drawing his attention means also attracting his grace—his unmerited kindness.

Profile of a humble athlete:

• Recognizes their limitations
• Welcomes critique and correction
• Acknowledges the contributions of others
• Is gracious in defeat and modest in victory
• Honors their coach
• Respects officials
• Gives glory for all athletic accomplishments to God

Practical humility. Humble athletes demonstrate their character by:

• Accepting the role the coach assigns them
• Cheering for teammates when not playing
• Thanking coaches after every practice and game
• Accepting referee calls without protest
• Avoiding excessive celebrations

Divine attention. Humility in sports not only honors God but also attracts His grace and kindness, benefiting the athlete spiritually and emotionally.

5. Serving others through sports reflects Christ's example

Jesus, even though he was God, "made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant" (Phil. 2:7).

Christ-like service. Following Jesus' example, athletes can glorify God by finding ways to serve others, regardless of their position or skill level.

Practical ways to serve:

• Encourage teammates, especially after mistakes
• Notice and thank others for contributions that don't show up on the stat sheet
• Put the team's interests ahead of personal preferences
• Play defense as passionately as offense
• Pass the ball instead of hogging it
• Ask the coach how to best serve the team

Selfless attitude. Serving others in sports may mean:

• Playing a position that's best for the team, even if it's not your preferred position
• Accepting a non-playing role if that's what's best for the team
• Prioritizing team success over personal statistics or recognition

6. Beware of making sports an idol in your life

If we're not playing sports to the glory of God, we're still worshiping—we're just worshiping someone or something else. And that's what the Bible calls idolatry.

Signs of sports idolatry:

• Preoccupation with sports in thoughts and conversations
• Excessive passion for a particular team, leading to emotional highs and lows
• Greater passion for sports than for Jesus Christ, family, or church

Time examination. Evaluate if sports have taken the place of other God-given priorities:

• Family time
• Church involvement
• Personal spiritual growth

Church involvement. Consistently choosing sports events over gathering with God's people may indicate misplaced priorities. Consider the eternal value of church involvement compared to temporal sports achievements.

7. The gospel provides hope and power for change in our athletic pursuits

The cross of Christ not only makes possible forgiveness of sin, but also provides power to overcome sin.

Hope for change. If you've played sports for your own glory rather than God's, there is hope through the gospel:

• Christ died for our sins, including times we've exalted ourselves instead of Him
• Forgiveness is available through God's grace
• The cross provides power to overcome sin and change our approach to sports

Practical application:

• Recognize past failures in glorifying God through sports
• Seek forgiveness through Christ
• Rely on God's grace for change
• View your next game as an opportunity to glorify God

Ongoing transformation. Remember that change is a process. Continuously seek to align your athletic pursuits with God's glory, relying on His grace and the power of the gospel to transform your heart and actions.

Last updated: November 18, 2024