“Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” – Genesis 15:6
Whose opinion do you trust the most? Is it your parents or friends? Your coaches or teammates? Maybe your own opinion matters to you the most? Well, Abram (later to be named Abraham) teaches us that God’s opinion is the only one that can truly define us. Too often we let the opinions of other people define what we believe about ourselves as a person. This is all too relevant in sports where the temptation is to evaluate who we are based on other’s approval and our results on the field. Ultimately, basing our identity on the scoreboard, stat sheet, or even lineup card compromises our identity and leads us to doubt and disappointment.
This can also happen with our faith. We put on a performance of good works hoping to be approved of by God when the truth is God loves us before we do anything for Him (see Romans 5:8). In fact, His ultimate desire is for us to believe and receive His love daily. I’ve heard it put this way: “The most spiritual thing you can do every morning of your life is say, ‘God, you’re right about me and about everything.’”
When we begin to trust the opinion of God over our opinion and the opinion of others, we are freed from the chains of having to impress other people and even the expectations we place on ourselves. Accordingly, our good works are from God’s smile, not for God’s smile. As you head into your games, or maybe into the offseason, be a person who is defined by God’s opinion not someone else’s.
- Reflect on how much God loves you.
- Confess your attempts to earn God’s approval and love.
- Pray and acknowledge that God is right about you and about everything.
Pre-Game Playlist:
