Chasing What Matters

As an athlete, I always had to have that one thing. If I could just make the starting lineup. If I could just make the all-conference team. If I could just break that one record. If I could just do this, then I’ll be happy. Then I’ll have made it.

The problem with that? As soon as I accomplished that goal, there was always another one looming. Another award to chase. Another trophy to win.

For a long time, these were the types of things I chased. Records, recognitions and rewards. I got a lot of them too, but they never did what I thought they were going to do. 

I thought that my identity came from being an athlete. I thought my self-worth was defined by how many games I won or how many points I scored. But even in the highest of highs – cutting down championship nets and breaking records – I was always left thinking, Is this it?

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26, “Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. Now everyone who competes exercises for self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown. So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air.”

I was running hard and throwing my hardest right hook without realizing I was actually running in circles and fighting the air. I was winning crowns without realizing that they were perishing on my head. I was disciplined in my training, but for all the wrong reasons. I asked myself these questions: What can these awards do for me? How can I use my sport to bring recognition to myself?

But the question I should have been asking was, How can I use my sport to help others? Or more importantly, how can I use my sport to glorify God?

This is exactly what Paul discerns in Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.”

When you think your identity comes from a sport, you’ll always be competing for the wrong reasons. If you only go after earthly prizes, you will never be truly fulfilled. If you believe that your identity rests in those things alone, you will never be fully satisfied.

Our identity doesn’t have to come from achievement in sports. When you put your faith in Jesus, you are given a new identity in Christ as God’s child. We see evidence of this throughout Scripture: 

“See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children – and we are!” - 1 John 3:1

“But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name.” - John 1:12

In knowing who Christ is, you are set free from that endless chase for glory because you are already given the greatest reward of all – a relationship with Christ. You’re given a Father who loves you because of who you are, not because of anything you have done.

What are you currently chasing?

Where are you placing your identity?

You can stop chasing and rest in the everlasting and eternal love of Christ.