lessons in soccer and spiritual growth.
“What are you willing to give up?”
This was the challenging question my dad—who was also my soccer coach—posed to my team before our seventh-grade soccer season. “Do you want to win the championship?” he asked us. “And if you do, what are you willing to sacrifice to get there?”
Initially, my teammates and I couldn’t help but laugh. Us, winning the championship? Not a chance. After all, we had finished last in the league the previous year, struggling against every team we faced.
But despite our doubts, my dad saw something we didn’t: our untapped potential. He believed we could win the championship, but he also knew it would require hard work and sacrifice.
Our Path to Success
Looking back, I realize there were three things my team gave up that soccer season:
We gave up time: We dedicated countless hours to practicing our skills, speed, endurance, and technique, braving the heat of summer afternoons. While we could have been lounging by the pool or hanging out with friends, we were having soccer camp in my front yard.
We gave up negative habits: We let go of laziness and indifference, stopped quitting when things got hard, and learned to show up with discipline and perseverance.
We gave up unbelief: Perhaps the biggest hurdle we had to overcome was our own doubt. If we were going to win, we had to believe it was possible. It wasn’t enough to hope for it; we had to take my dad at his word and trust that we could succeed despite our past failures.
Applying These Principles to Spiritual Growth
Recently, I’ve seen how these same principles apply to spiritual growth. Just as my soccer team made sacrifices to achieve our goals, we are invited to make choices that help us grow in relationship with God.
Give up time: In the hustle and bustle of life, we must carve out sacred moments to sit quietly with God, to immerse ourselves in His Word, and to pour out our hearts in prayer. Jesus often withdrew to connect with God, setting an example for us.
Give up negative habits: Ephesians 4:22-24 urges us to discard our old sinful nature and our former way of life and let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes. We need to let go of habits that hinder us.
Give up unbelief: As Christians, we must embrace faith, or belief. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” We must put our confidence in Jesus, trusting that His words are true and His plans are good.
The Eternal Prize
While accolades on this earth are temporary—like winning a soccer championship—the reward for those who follow Christ is eternal. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 says, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”
And if our ultimate goal as Christ followers is to live a life that glorifies God, we must get rid of anything that hinders us. Hebrews 12:1-2 urges us to “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
The Christian life requires giving some things up, and it is certainly not the easy road. But here’s something so incredible about God: He gave up more than we ever will.
The Ultimate Sacrifice
Looking back on my seventh-grade soccer season, I see that my dad sacrificed more than all of us on the team combined. He dedicated hundreds of hours to practices, invested in coaching clinics, and gave up time with family in order to coach the team.
While my dad’s dedication helped us achieve success as soccer players, God’s sacrifice offers us something infinitely greater. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” What we give up pales in comparison to the magnitude of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross.
Trusting the Process
Take heart, because there is victory on the other side of sacrifice. When my dad encouraged us to practice extra hours, he wasn’t trying to take away our free time or make us miserable. It was his love for the team and the desire to see us thrive as soccer players that motivated his demands. My dad understood the cost of success and knew that our hard work would yield the unimaginable.
And he was right! After a long year of practicing hard and embracing new habits, we won the soccer championship, beating the previously undefeated team! The joy we felt after the final whistle blew made every moment of sacrifice worth it.
Just like my dad, God desires for us to live joyful and fulfilling lives, free from the weights that hold us back. Our Heavenly Father does not desire to burden us with a list of rules and tasks. In fact, Jesus tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). When we prioritize time with God, align ourselves with His will, and make the continual decision to trust Him, we will live each day saturated with His presence, purpose, and peace.
My Challenge for You
Ask yourself these questions:
Is there anything holding me back from a deeper relationship with God?
Should I dedicate more time to connect with Him?
Are there unhealthy habits I need to let go of?
Am I trusting God in every area of my life?
If these questions resonate with you, perhaps God is gently guiding you to refocus as you run the race set before you. Today, I challenge you with the same question my dad asked my soccer team: What are you willing to give up?
