God Chooses Us

We can live in confidence knowing we’re already chosen by God.

John unlaced his cleats and tossed his helmet down as he sat on the bench. He just finished trying out for his college team, one he has been dreaming of since he was a boy. His thoughts went into overdrive:

Did I do good enough for Coach to like me? What if he thought I wasn’t able, strong or powerful enough? What if I don’t make it? Did I do my best? Maybe I am not good enough to be on the team this year. If I don’t get this, what else is there for me?

John spent the next two days in worry and fear, surrounded by “what ifs.” He was caught up in the motion of anxiety and his thoughts ran wild. Normal day life was interrupted by the doubt and questioning of his future.

Two days passed when John got a call: “You made the team John! We did not question you once. You are a perfect fit.”

John’s face lit up with joy and he celebrated. But he thought about all the time he spent worried and questioning. How much different would the past two days had been if he knew he was already chosen for the team? How much more confidence would it have given him?

The game changes when we know what lies ahead. In our own life, however, we do not know what the next day holds. We do not know if we will score a goal, win a game, get injured or if we will even wake up.

But there is one thing that we can know for sure: we are chosen by God.

In John 15:16 Jesus says, “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”

Jesus chose us first. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are choosing Him and asking Him to come into our hearts and our lives. But what is more beautiful is that before that moment, He had already chosen us for relationship.

Knowing this, how would we approach our sport, our skills or even how we lived? Without this truth and confidence knowing God has chosen us, we live based on performance. We do everything in order to gain something, and when we fail, we feel purposeless and lost, like nothing else is in store for us.

But when we know the truth that God has chosen us for His family from the beginning, we can live in confidence and freedom. We can go into our sports knowing that does not depict our value. We can go into our personal lives knowing it cannot mess up our relationship with God. We transform from a mindset of, “I hope God chooses me,” to, “I know He has chosen me.” We transform from a mindset of concern to a mindset of confidence.

We can be confident that:

We are chosen to know.

Know and have confidence that we are chosen by God. This is where our identity is planted. When we know whose we are, we know who we are.

A failure does not define us. A bad test grade does not define us. A losing game does not define us. Home situations do not define us. Nothing defines us or changes our identity because it is rooted in Christ. He loves us and has chosen us, and nothing can change that.

“No power in the sky above or in the earth below… will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:39)

We are chosen to grow.

Jesus tells us to produce lasting fruit. This is personal growth not only in our own selves, but also an influential growth in the world around us.

We plant seeds, but we need to help water them by getting in the Word together, praying, asking how they are, and giving encouragement.

“I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6)

We are chosen to go.

We are chosen to be in God’s family, but we are part of a bigger purpose and we need to lean into His bigger plan. Share His truth with our teammates, point them to God’s love in Christ, and step out in obedience wherever God calls you to.

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says.” James 1:22

It’s time to live out that you are chosen by God to grow in Him and share His love with your coaches, teammates, family and friends.

Be confident; God’s with you.

-Arbor Diggs

Challenge: Take time to memorize John 15:16 throughout your week, and find moments to be intentional with those around you on the field, in the classroom, and in the world.

Want to learn more about how God personally loves you? Read our March anchor article, You Are Chosen.

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