One of the most powerful truths God has rooted in me is that His love is not
contingent on what I do, but on who He is. As an athlete, I’m surrounded by a
performance-based rewards mentality. My entire life I’ve been praised for my
accomplishments in sports. It’s easy to fall into the trap that my worth and value is
dependent upon how I perform. But God’s truth states that no amount of success or
failure ever defines who I am. To fully understand this truth is incredibly freeing. It
allows me to compete knowing I don’t need a thing because my heart is secure in
who I am—a child of God. Yes I’ll pursue another Olympic gold with my entire heart;
however my heart doesn’t rest upon winning that Olympic medal. It rests upon the
one who’s already given me the greatest prize that will never fade (1 Corinthians
9:24-27).
The more I experience His heart and great love for me the more I want others to
experience this. During national anthems, I used to think about the game or scan the
crowd and the fun signs. Since becoming a believer, I now use that time for prayer. I
always pray God uses me as a light and that the glory of God is reflected through me.
I know the struggles I’ve gone through in feeling not good enough, never physically
fit enough, never strong enough, never fast enough and all the other negative
thoughts that damage our mind and heart. Therefore, when I stand on that blue
line, I’m praying that, with every stride, pass, and shot, people will see the power,
strength, and love of the living God at work within me.
Whatever you’re hearing from the media, your family, your friends, teammates, or
you yourself, don’t listen to it. Tune into what God is saying about you: “I love you.”
You had the best game of your life? God says, “I love you.” You had the worst game?
God says, “I love you.” Whether you score a hundred goals or score in your own net,
God is ALWAYS telling you “I love you. You are worthy. You are important. You are
valued and set apart. I am with you and will never leave you” (John 3:16, Deut. 14:2,
Jer. 1:9).
