It’s all over the place: the push to move yourself up the ladder of influence, success and fame. From self-indulgent Instagram posts to pushing a teammate out of the way to end up on top, we can be tempted to try and amass as much glory for ourselves in our sport as possible.
But, even if you reach the heights of success, isn’t something off? Does it feel like something is missing? Could it be that we were never meant to hold the weight of glory? Perhaps, that glory belongs to Someone else.
“’… everyone who bears my name
and is created for my glory.
I have formed them; indeed, I have made them.’” –Isaiah 43:7
Look at who you are. How you have been made in God’s image, fashioned with His hands, your heart beating to His. Every piece of our self has been stitched by a caring God, whose glory far outlasts any worldly praise we could want for ourselves.
“For it was you who created my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will praise you
because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.
Your works are wondrous,
and I know this very well.
My bones were not hidden from you
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in your book and planned
before a single one of them began.” –Psalm 139:13-16
The way you play basketball effortlessly—that’s a gift given by God. Your ability to lead a team well? Another talent tailored by God. He’s intimately acquainted with every part of us, and if we lean into this wonderful knowledge that we are created in God’s image, because He deemed it good, our focus begins to shift off self and onto the glorious One who is God.
If we recognize that we are made in God’s image and that He has given us our abilities, how do we use that knowledge to guide us in our sport?
Read the rest of the article to learn what it means to give God glory as you play.
-FCA-