Playing football at the highest level comes with a daunting set of expectations—from yourself, your family, and the crowd. No matter what your job is, it can be a struggle to keep your gaze on your purpose. It can be easy to let your gaze drift to others’ expectations.
In high pressure situations, understanding God’s expectations helped me deal with the pressure. I knew that God had called me to football. And if he had called me there, he wanted me to be a good example.
God doesn’t call us places to be mediocre at what we do. He calls us to give our best effort and to use our skills well wherever He places us. For me, it wasn’t just about playing football. It was about exhibiting God’s character where I was.
I was always the first person to arrive at training and the last to leave. This was the expectation God had for me—to serve.
The more time we spend with God, the more we see of Him and not everyone else’s expectations. Whenever I started caring too much about what others thought, it was like a check engine light in a car—a warning that I needed to fix my focus.
When I first arrived at Ajax, one of the biggest clubs in Europe, my prayer was that I would perform so well that people would know I was a Christian. But as I prayed, God changed my perspective.
When we stand before God one day, He is not going to ask how many goals we scored or how many trophies we won. He is going to ask: What did you do for my Kingdom? How many people did you reach with my love?
This perspective removed the pressure from me. I wasn’t being judged based on my performance before God. I no longer had to perform for the audience of many. I performed for an audience of One.
When I focused on the things that mattered to God, along with loving and serving my teammates well, I felt the pressure to achieve lift off of me.
Of course, as an athlete, there will be days when you don’t play well, and it’s okay to feel frustrated. But ultimately, it’s about reflecting and representing the One whom we play for.
Challenge
Spend some time reflecting. What are you gazing at? Are you focused on the expectations of others or on what God has called you to do?
How can you be a representative for God today?
Prayer
“Father, fix my gaze on You. When the expectations of this world feel too big to bear, remind me that You have already accepted me, that I play for an audience of One. Help me reflect your character to my teammates and opponents in the way I carry myself so I may reach people with your love! In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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