When you talk about standing your ground, maybe nowhere is it more important than in your daily Christian walk and in moment-by- moment decisions. (Day 17, Fight the Good Fight)
It’s the little things we do in training that bring us to excellence on the field. If we want to be at the top of our game, we do behind-the-scenes diligence in the daily grind and pull our weight to improve our stamina and sharpen our skills. We build a solid base so we can stand our ground in competition.
The sports world is grueling, relentless and consuming. Such, too, is life. How will we react in moment-by-moment decisions of the everyday? Underneath the action, how do we fuel ourselves to set our faith in peak condition that sets the tone for how we compete, serve and live?
Excellence comes with sweat and sacrifice. We often suffer for the sake of strengthening our muscles—both physical and spiritual—so we may stand firm in the day of testing. We push ourselves to be our best.
Can gains in strength and resolve be accomplished without some element of suffering?
(Day 145, After You Suffer)
Each step, day in and day out, brings us closer to our ultimate goal—bearing the image of Jesus Christ. Victory 365, FCA’s first ever daily devotional, highlights God’s training plan for us through relatable stories and wisdom from coaches, athletes, and others who have found renewed spiritual energy from His Word.
| And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. -Romans 12:1 Time, concentration, and the intentional neglect of other pursuits are just a few sacrifices you make to compete in sport. Think of the physical toll your sport takes on your body. Bruises, and sometimes broken bones, are too often part of an athlete’s life. As you experience such sacrifices, how conscious are you that these may be presented to God as holy, pleasing, and spiritual acts of worship? As surely as God is pleased with the service of singing in church, He is pleased with however you express your love for Christ in sport. Part of presenting our bodies as living sacrifices is shaped by how we do it. Rather than squeezing into the world’s way of competition, our minds and hearts are renewed and transformed through study, fellowship, and prayer. In this daily process of sacrifice, our experiences in sport are fashioned into God-honoring worship. This enables us to wisely perceive the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God on and off the field of competition. (Day 2, Worship in Sport)
|
Do you see and feel God's grace in your life, win or lose?
(Day 209, Grace and Glory) Spiritual nourishment is key to the heart, soul and body of an athlete, so start strengthening your faith. Every day, open to a page pumped with scriptural encouragement to equip you to take on the day with God in your corner. Plan it as part of your workout routine—sweat it out, eat right, and chisel a few quiet minutes in the morning.
Apply these nuggets of truth to your mind, body and soul for optimum motivation. Fine tune your faith for peak performance as you live out the love of Christ on your team, in your community, and through your life.
Time to train. Transformation starts today. #Victory365
Read this excerpt from Victory 365 to see how you can step up your spiritual fervor.
Click book cover
to add a copy
to your gym bag!
-FCA-