Written by: Clint Woods

The Oxford dictionary defines faith "as the complete trust or confidence in someone or something", more specifically "strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof". Being involved with sports growing up introduced me to many different people with varying levels of faith and beliefs.  As a youth, I was easily distracted by cultural norms or behaviors considered to be acceptable and okay.  I was fortunate to always be around religion and individuals living out their faith.  I was also around other individuals who would claim to be religious but lived in a way that was contradicting to what they were saying.  I saw both ends of the spectrum.  

As I got older and grew in faith it helped me realize that, in a way, we are all broken.  Even those who know Jesus and who live out the commandments can make mistakes just as easily as those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus.  That, as Christians, we are all on the same team.  Just like when a teammate is struggling with an aspect of their beloved sport and asks for help on how to improve, we Christians need help at times with the struggles of life.  We need help facing temptations and anything that distracts us from being the person we were created to be.  We are a community, a team, and we should strive to assist our teammates, our fellow Christians as well as those who haven't come to believe yet to grow in their faith.  We should help them develop a deep relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Life is full of trials and tribulations just like sports are full of ups and downs.  Through these trials and tribulations, ups and downs we have the opportunity to grow in our faith and realize that God is always with us.  All of our accomplishments we owe to him, but also our failures because it gives us the chance to grow as a person.  If everything came easy to us then we would never learn what it means to sacrifice.  Through sacrifice we can mimic Christ and what he did for us.  We also learn gratitude, being thankful for everything that we have and also gratitude for all the sacrifices that others make on our behalf.  We can have gratitude for the fact that through Christ's ultimate sacrifice for us we have eternal salvation. 

Faith can also mold our behavior, on and off the field.  During competition we might not always be victorious just as in life we might not always be successful.  How do we handle this?  Faith helps us find the unseen benefit.  What did we learn in defeat?  What did we learn in the unsuccessful endeavor?  Perhaps we were able to benefit the greater good of someone else or another group.  Faith has helped me see the long term benefit instead of the short term payoff.  

Another aspect of being on a team and involved in sport is having multiple teammates or "family members" in which to care for.  To truly love someone you have to will the good for that person.  The only way I know how to do that is to pray for them as well as lead them through testimony.  Through the way I live my life, I hope to lead people down the path that will bring them joy and into a deeper relationship with God.  

In conclusion, I feel as though being in the world of sports has also helped me grow in faith by introducing me to a wide variety of people and beliefs.  It has challenged me at times to die to myself and put others' wants and needs before my own.  It has shown me the meaning of sacrifice and taught me gratitude for the sacrifices others have made on my behalf.