In the summer of 2012, I signed with a very prestigious French club, Paris Saint-Germain. In January, I left Brazil, my home, and moved to France.
The move was a bit of a shock for me. I was far away from my country, my family, my friends – everything I knew. To make matters more complicated, I experienced a few injuries early on, and I stopped getting moved up to the Brazilian national team. I was feeling lost and confused.
But often, God moves in the moments when we least expect Him to.
Amid disappointments, injuries, and uncertainty, I met a group of people who began to tell me about a man named Jesus. The more I heard about this Jesus, the more I wanted to know Him. I began studying the Bible for myself and started attending a weekly prayer group.
My mind changed completely. I decided to place my trust in Jesus, and I was transformed by what I learned and experienced: I became a new man.
I came to know the peace of God in every circumstance, even when I should have been anxious. My eyes were opened to recognize God’s hand working in every moment, both the good and the difficult.
In 2 Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul tells us that when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become a new creation. The old version of us is gone, and we are transformed by His grace as we are conformed into His image.
Sometimes that means letting go of familiar comforts and ingrained habits. But as we experience the transformation that comes from a life with Christ, we experience His supernatural peace, unwavering love, and unending joy!
I found that the closer I grew to Christ, the more I wanted to obey His commands. I realized that the way He was asking me to live was the way I was designed to live. His way–not my own–was the path to meaning and purpose.
Challenge
Have you placed your trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If not, what is holding you back?
If you have, how has His grace transformed you?
How can you share this story of transformation with your friends, family, and teammates?
Prayer
Father, thank You for the gift of Your grace, lavished upon us. Thank You for making a way, through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, for us to be in relationship with You. I place my trust in You, as the author and perfector of my faith. Continue to mold and shape me into the person you have created me to be. Transform my life so that I can be more like Jesus. Amen.
Who We Are
If you’re wondering what it really means to belong to Jesus—to know Him personally and experience the love and purpose Lucas is talking about—we at Athletes in Action would love to help you take that next step. Click here to begin your journey of discovering who Jesus is and how you can have a relationship with Him. (NOTE: If you could Underline "here" in your translation, that would be helpful. Thank you!)