Can Sports Be Spiritual?
By: S.E. Gregg
Tags: Suffering, Bible, Athletes, Endurance, Training

Can Sports Be Spiritual?

It is very hard not to be aware of what is going on in the world of sports.

The media makes it very difficult to avoid the topic and not to ear or see something about sports. We either see it on the news, the Internet or just by picking up a newspaper or magazine with sport figures splashed across the front cover.

That is because we are in a culture where sports reign supreme. Every New Year starts off with the Super Bowl for football. Which leads the way to the basketball Playoffs. Then the new baseball season is ushered in to end with the World Series. And every two years we have the Olympic Games, which is the biggest sporting event for that year. But this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic these sports had to shorten their season or suspend it and then restart. And this pandemic caused the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Those that participate as spectators find it amusing, entertaining, and display their love for competitive sports, their favorite teams and athletes. They go as far as buying, wearing and displaying their sports memorabilia proudly as though they are part of the team.

Although the athletes are considered heroes by their fans, no one sees them behind the scene to see exactly what it takes to be an athlete.

The athletes however live a lifestyle of discipline, vigorous training and daily physical exercises. They make many sacrifices such as; they may have to give up sleep so that they can be awake in the wee hours of the morning, be placed on a strict diet, and go through a grueling routine of exercise for hours and hours and hours. While eliminating anything that interferes distracts or becomes a hindrance to completing their goals.

Athletes make sure that they are equipped to play their game with the right attire and equipment that is appropriate for their particular sport. And they ensure that they are competing in the sport that they are skilled and talented in. All of this comes together as preparation so that they can be the best at their game and win their competitions.

Can we learn something about sports that can help us in our spiritual lives? What can athletes teach us about faith and finishing well?

As far as history shows, for centuries mankind has taken part in competitive sports, which the Bible makes mention of. And so for the Apostle Paul to witness these ancient games was not unusual to see. But what was fascinating was that God gave him revelations, as he would watch these games. These powerful revelations are revealed in the New Testament as metaphors, comparing the Christian life to these ancient games or Olympic Games.

In other words, Christians are athletes too, spiritual athletes in a spiritual athletic competition. The Christian life is mentioned many times in the scriptures as a race, the Christian race. The race is a marathon race, the longest and the most endured of all foot races (…and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,) Heb 12:1 (KJV).

Which means that God has revealed to us an illumination on Christian living that will give us a new understanding and exhilaration when we live and see ourselves as spiritual athletes.

A spiritual athlete also trains, but with spiritual training, practices discipline, but with spiritual discipline. Spiritual athletes … lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us…. Heb 12:1 (KJV).

Spiritual athletes get equipped and wear the right attire according to their competitions. They know what their spiritual gifts are. And they are content with their own God-given super natural abilities using them in the capacity according to their calling. All of this is preparation for the spiritual athlete to run well, finish the race and receive the ultimate prize, a gold crown.

You may wonder, “Why would God compare the Christian life to an athlete, an athletic competition, an Olympic Game or to marathon runners?

Because it is the perfect metaphor for the endurance, longevity, and persistence needed to finish the race of faith. When this new understanding and exhilaration for the Christian life is pursued with the vigor of a spiritual athlete, it will give us spiritual revelation to what is happening in our lives and on things that we do not understand and wonder about. This spiritual revelation helps to explain the difficulties that are happening in our lives that we or no one else can explain

And finally when we see ourselves as a spiritual athlete it helps us to endure our problems, suffering, and trials. For example if you look at trials through the eyes of a spiritual athlete, then trials are beneficial to our spiritual growth as a workout is to the athlete (James 1:2–4). When athletes work out they build their muscles. Therefore for us, the spiritual athletes, trials or test are nothing more than a spiritual workout to gain spiritual muscles. God wants use to walk, talk, and think like spiritual athletes so that we can run well, finish the race, be rewarded and have victory over whatever the world throws at us. Seeing yourself as an Olympian, a spiritual athlete and a marathon runner will help you in your daily Christian life as nothing has ever done before.

S.E. Gregg is the author of the bestselling book: The Christian Olympics: Going for the Gold Crowns. http://www.Christianolympics.org