As competitors, whether on a team or individual sport, it feels good to know that we are cared for by our coach, fellow teammates, fans, or friends and family. To take it deeper, to know that you are loved and cared for is encouraging in times of doubt and uplifting when life is hard. Love pushes us forward and brings joy to life. Knowing that you are truly loved makes a difference in every single area of life. Love makes us better, but despite how much people love you, people are not perfect and people will fail to love well or leave us to figure things out on our own.

There is only One whose love won’t ever fail or ever give up. God’s love is perfect in every way, and no matter who you are or what you have done, the God of the universe loves you personally, graciously, and abundantly. The love we feel from our teammates, friends and family is encouraging and uplifting, but does not compare to the love that God has for us. Human love will come and go, but God’s love for you has remained the very same since the beginning of time.

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
     With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

Everything we need and are looking for can be found Christ. 

Love from family, friends and teammates can have a significant impact our lives, but God’s love transforms us from the inside out. Without knowledge or understanding of the depth of God’s love for us, life is so much different. With our mindset focused on receiving approval from others, we might push harder for affirmation from our teammates, strive for more goals and better scores all for louder applause, or a pat on the back and the love of proud teammates and fans. But this feeling only lasts for a moment in time and does not sustain us or fill us with what we deeply desire.

When we know, understand and fully receive Christ’s love, we are completely transformed because God’s love lacks nothing. God created you with His hands, and He knows you better than anyone else does - He loves you personally. He has seen it all and knows every detail about your life, what you have said and thought and each decision you have made, yet He loves you unconditionally.

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)

He loves you graciously no matter the circumstance. 

God’s love for you does not waiver. He doesn’t love you differently from one day to the next. He loves you abundantly and you won’t have to chase after His love or search for it in other places.

From the moment you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your life has been redeemed and transformed. Your identity is firmly rooted in His love and saving work of the cross and resurrection. You can practice and work hard and grow stronger, not for the applause of others, but for the glory of God.

God’s love brings freedom and grace in everything you do.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”   (Romans 8:38-39)

What would your days look like if you lived out of the abundance of God’s love? Begin to love your teammates the way that Christ loves them- encourage them even if you don’t feel like it, lift them up and cheer them on. When you practice, compete or train, work hard and enjoy every moment knowing that this is an opportunity to serve Him.

God desires that you extend His love to others, and you can live it out every single day! 

“We love each other because he loved us first.”  (1 John 4:19)

His love will never run dry, so you can keep on pouring it out to your teammates, family, coaching staff and anyone else in need of it today.

-Claire Britton