When we are involved in a sport, or in any other endeavor, we must work hard to achieve success. We must not let our weaknesses stop us. Paul tells Timothy to “run in such a way as to get the prize” (vs 24b). There will always be challenges when we are trying to do our best-be it a sports team or another profession. There are times when we miss the mark, or someone may decide to fire us, but we must be courageous, self-disciplined, and not give up.
The experience of being kicked off a team, or quitting a team, should make us reflect on the reasons for the decision, and then learn the lessons from it. Difficult decisions in athletics might involve choosing between personal goals and team dynamics, or deciding whether to continue in the face of challenges. These experiences can teach valuable life lessons about perseverance and priorities. There will never be a time when our lives are perfect or without challenges. The important thing to remember is that we can grow and learn from these experiences because God is always with us. He does not want us to be disqualified because we have given up. He is training us to compete with spiritual champions, both in this life and in the future to come. We must learn to “keep on keeping on”.
After careful consideration, please answer the following questions.
- Share about a time when you had to make a difficult decision regarding being on a team. What were the results?
- Research some Christian-based sports organizations in the United States.
- After researching these organizations, describe what you learned about one of them.
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