True Competitor E-Book

Dan Britton

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 328

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Get in the game.   Do you want powerful, unstoppable faith for the gym, locker room, and competitive arena? Your passion to live intentionally for Jesus in everything you do can help you transform the world one practice and game at a time.   True Competitor will challenge you to train your heart, mind and soul so you reflect the love of Christ on and off the field. Dan Britton and Jimmy Page share fifty-two devotions that will refine how you think, train, and compete. Each devotion features an in-the-trenches sports story with Scripture, practical application, interactive questions, and room to write your personal game plan.   Become a champion for Christ and take your faith, sport, and life to the next level.  

Leseprobe

This book is a game plan for anyone who wants to grow in Christ, written by men who have done just that.

Kyle Rote Jr., 2010 Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, ESPN’s Greatest All-Around Athlete of All Time, and a national commentator for CBS, PBS, and USA

As competitors, our main goals are to praise God, live for Him, and please Him. This is what True Competitor is all about. It will transform you and your team.

Tamika Catchings, eleven-time WNBA All-Star, 2011 WNBA Most Valuable Player, 2012 WNBA Championship and Finals MVP, and four-time Olympic gold medalist

Jesus transformed the world through the power of relationships, and so can we. That’s why I’m giving a copy of True Competitor to everyone I know—so we can all leave a legacy that matters.

Jon Gordon, consultant and author of international bestsellers The Energy Bus and Training Camp

True Competitor is a very useful, practical field guide based upon fifty-two biblical principles that get one to “true north.” This book is packed with practical wisdom and eternal truths.

Tom Osborne, former athletic director of the University of Nebraska, former twenty-five-year head coach of the Huskers, and author of More Than Winning

Whether you’re in the locker room, the boardroom, or the living room, if you’re intentional about walking with Jesus, you will influence people. True Competitor gives you a winning game plan to invest biblical truth in the lives of others.

Matt Stover, twenty-year NFL player (Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants)

True Competitor encourages you to get wisdom, grow in wisdom, and give wisdom—to live life to the fullest and impact the world around you.

Leah Amico, three-time Olympic gold medalist

I can’t say enough about the influence (positive or negative) people have on us. We usually become who we hang out with. Dan and Jimmy get this. True Competitoris a read you should check out.

TobyMac, Grammy Award–winning recording artist

BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC

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True Competitor: 52 Devotions for Athletes, Coaches, and Parents

Copyright © 2025 Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

9781424569687 (faux leather)

9781424569694 (ebook)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. No portion of this book may be used or reproduced in any way for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies. As per Article 4(3) of the Digital Single Market Directive 2019/790, BroadStreet Publishing reserves this work from the text and data mining exception.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from NIV, The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries. Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®. Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ASV are taken from The American Standard Version of the Bible, public domain. Scripture quotations marked ICB are taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV1984 are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Italics in Scripture quotations have been added by the authors to indicate emphasis.

Cover and interior by Garborg Design Works | garborgdesign.com

Printed in China

25 26 27 28 29 5 4 3 2 1

DEDICATION

To all the athletes, coaches, and parents who are walking with Jesus, investing in others, and changing the game.

Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

1 JOHN 2:6

CONTENTS

Foreword by Tony Dungy

The True Competitor Game Plan

The True Competitor Challenge

1

  The Ultimate Game Changer

In a single moment, God can change a heart.

2

  Bigger. Faster. Stronger.

We do the training; God does the changing.

3

  Competitive Greatness

Be the best you.

4

  Peloton Power

We’re better together.

5

  Real Deal

You can’t fake the Almighty.

6

  Rookie Rush

Think like a rookie; play like a pro.

7

  The Pacer

Run with Jesus.

8

  The Game Plan

If you want to win, follow the plan.

9

  Good-for-Nothing

Don’t worry; be praying.

10

Better—or Deader?

You need to die to live.

11

Move Those Chains

Consistency leads to excellence.

12

Fun Factor

If it’s fun, it gets done.

13

The Love Win

Coaches love their players; players love each other.

14

The Larry Principle

Serving is leading.

15

Supersize Me

Toxic material will make you sick.

16

Don’t Be Stupid

Two are better than one.

17

Protect This House

If you don’t fight, you’re dead meat.

18

This Is a Bible

Engage God, no matter what.

19

Braveheart

Faith overcomes fear.

20

Blocker or Builder?

Humility unlocks greatness in others.

21

Fired Up

Character is formed in the fire.

22

The Challenge Flag

Review your life film.

23

Pride Bombs

Speak life, not death.

24

No Excuses

Excuses lead to failure.

25

King of the Hill

Shut down sin.

26

Risky Prayer

Prayer unleashes God’s power.

27

Be an Ironman

Manage your energy for the winning edge.

28

Posting Up

God loves spiritual sweat.

29

Call Time-Out

Rest brings refreshment.

30

Showtime

Impress at a distance; impact up close.

31

Margin of Victory

As the margin grows, victory is yours.

32

Secondhand Glory

Reflect God’s glory; don’t steal it.

33

The Scoreboard

Becoming more like Jesus is winning.

34

Water Boy

If you want to be great, serve.

35

Grip It and Rip It!

Take a risk and watch God make a play.

36

Mark of Excellence

Leave a God mark, not a me mark.

37

The Ring

Keep your eyes on the prize.

38

Hay in the Barn

Your tomorrow depends on your today.

39

Triple Threat

Be a spiritual threat.

40

Whom Do You Play For?

Play for the name on the front, not the back.

41

Lust Patrol

Sin never delivers what it promises.

42

Build Your Dream Team

Choose your team wisely.

43

Pray Real Quick?

Be quick to pray; don’t pray real quick.

44

No Pain, No Gain

God never wastes our pain.

45

One Word That Will Change Your Team

Focus creates power and purpose.

46

Public Display of Affection

Faith isn’t private.

47

The Yes Face

Your face reveals your heart.

48

True You

Be true all the way through.

49

The Leadership Secret

We are limited; God is limitless.

50

Don’t Believe Everything You Think

Train your brain.

51

Vision Eyes

Vision makes the impossible become possible.

52

Finish Strong

Be a finisher.

52

Game-Changing Principles for Athletes, Coaches, and Parents

Acknowledgments

Endnotes

About the Authors

Other Books by Dan Britton and Jimmy Page

FOREWORD BY TONY DUNGY

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it…I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control.

1 CORINTHIANS 9:24, 26–27 ESV

The world of sports is not a phenomenon that has just come to our generation in recent years. In fact, sports are older than the Bible itself. When the apostle Paul wrote about running the race, he was thinking about the Olympic games that were held in ancient Greece. When he said, “I discipline my body,” he was referring to athletes who trained for those games. The Bible talks about sports, and chariot races, boxing, and even track events were all part of that world.

When an athlete won the competition, he was honored in several ways. A statue was erected in his honor. Musicians wrote songs that gave national acclaim to the athlete and his family. The government even exempted him from paying taxes to Rome for the rest of his life. Cicero said that in his day, athletes received greater fame and honor than conquering generals who returned from a victory.

Interesting, isn’t it? Not much has changed. Athletes are still idolized, held in high esteem, and, many times, put on pedestals too high for anyone to reach. If there is anything athletes, coaches, parents, teams, and the entire industry of sports need today, it is a healthy dose of God’s wisdom. The book of James tells us that “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (3:17 ESV).

If you are an athlete, coach, parent, or just someone who loves to watch sports, you need to manage, play, and walk with that kind of wisdom in every aspect of your life to be a winner on and off the field. What Dan Britton and Jimmy Page have written in True Competitor is not just a devotional but also a guide with fifty-two principles that can be not only game changers but life changers too. I was blessed as a young athlete not only with great coaches but also with a wise mom and dad who taught wisdom principles that are still making a difference in my life today. They not only taught those principles but also lived them out and modeled them every day. This book is a great blend of principles for mentoring, maturing, and managing your life for impact.

As an athlete, coach, and parent, I can tell you that teams are all about relationships. Today my team primarily consists of my family. Believe me that it’s not just those on the field who treasure wisdom, but those off the field do as well. Every team needs a playbook. Every coach needs a game plan. Every athlete who wants to be a difference maker and a game changer needs wisdom. What you’re holding in your hands is that playbook and plan—for your game and for your life. So as you read it, enjoy your walk. And whatever your sport, exercise wisdom. It really will be the difference in your game.

TONY DUNGY

Super Bowl–winning NFL head coach, sports analyst, and New York Times–best-selling author

THE TRUE COMPETITOR GAME PLAN

Watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.

EPHESIANS 5:11–17 MSG

Not long ago I saw an athlete at the gym wearing a T-shirt with the saying “No pain, no pain.” It was obviously a play on the old adage “No pain, no gain.” I watched him for thirty minutes while I ran on the treadmill. This guy was truly living out his shirt, just talking to the ladies and visiting with the gym staff. There wasn’t a drop of sweat on him.

Joining the gym and showing up are easy; working hard is not. The world values shortcuts—not hard work and unwavering discipline—as the keys to success. The easy way becomes the best way. Many competitors live with this mindset and never fulfill their God-given potential. They waste the gift. They don’t progress because they don’t struggle. They don’t grow because they don’t push beyond their normal limits. Many competitors want the win without the work. But the shortcut never leads to greatness. The easy road never makes you better.

Often we carry this mindset right into our spiritual lives. Salvation is free, but sanctification is costly. While there’s nothing we can do to earn eternal life or a place in heaven and no amount of effort earns us God’s love and acceptance, once we’re born again, the ongoing transformation process requires the daily surrendering of ourselves and a supernatural work of God.

Some want the change without the work. We have been saved by grace through faith; it’s a gift to receive. But when we share the gospel as merely a quick prayer that will add Jesus to someone’s life, fixing everything and making everything better, we are presenting a false gospel. This thinking says to simply plug Jesus in and get everything you’ve ever wanted. No change, no sacrifice, no confession of sin, no sweat, no effort, no surrender. Jesus will give you peace and purpose if you just add Him to your already well-planned-out life. Right?

If Jesus Christ becomes the Lord and Savior of your life, you can continue in the same direction, but why on earth would you? What a waste that would be. Jesus gives you a choice. His great love and sacrifice compel you to walk a different path, to go against the flow, and to be set apart. When you believe in Jesus and He gives you a new life, you will do a total redirect, a literal 180-degree turn, saying, God, I give control of my life to You. It’s Your plan, not my plan; it’s Your way, not my way.

But it’s hard to give up control of our lives, isn’t it? Even to the God of the universe. We find it difficult and painful to let God make us into the men and women He destined us to be. Change comes hard, and it hurts. So we take the easy road in our spiritual life—no spiritual sweat, no digging into deep spiritual truths, no seeking after what pleases God, no discipline.

Unfortunately, we do not always apply to our spiritual lives the same disciplines that make us successful on the field of competition as athletes, coaches, and parents. Just imagine if your sports team’s success was built on your devotion to Christ rather than your skills, your talents, your training, your discipline, the team’s game plan, and your coaching staff. Would your team have a winning record? Or would you be struggling to win a game?

Christ desires to take control of our lives—and He does a far better job than we can do. But be forewarned: your life will not stay the same. God loves you so much that He says, Come as you are.But He also loves you too much to leave you in that condition. His goal is forgiveness, freedom, and fruit in the life of the believer. In Luke 9:23, Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (ESV). But the results are so worth it!

God is waiting to transform you. He wants one-on-one time with you. He doesn’t want to become a key part of your life. Instead, He wants to become your life. That is God’s game plan.

That’s where this book comes in. It’s a tool to energize and transform your life as an athlete, coach, or parent. The platform of sport is arguably the largest and most influential platform in the world; the language of sport transcends gender, race, age, and even nationality. Sport is truly the international language. We believe that when competitors are transformed, they will transform the way we coach, play, and even watch sports. It’s our vision to see the world of sports redeemed for Christ.

True Competitors, when you live out God’s game plan, you grow increasingly passionate about pursuing Him with everything you have. You realize your faith isn’t something you leave on the bench. You are a player, not a fan! Instead, God’s plan helps define every aspect of who you are and how you compete. You’re not a Christian competitor; you are a Christian who competes. Who you are in Christ comes with you to the field. Your identity is in Christ, not in your sport. It doesn’t depend on your last performance or your win-loss record.

Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6–7 NLT)

Becoming a True Competitor means walking with Jesus in everything—on the field, at home, at school, at church, in the locker room. And that identity in Christ completely changes your mind and heart until you realize that everything you have comes from God. Every time you step onto the field of competition, your heart explodes with thankfulness because you are abundantly grateful for God’s blessings. You have a deep conviction that your gifts, talents, and skills to play and to compete come from Him alone. And you never take them for granted. Every stride, swing, shot, pass, goal, and point is a response of gratitude for God’s goodness.

In competition, it’s easy to give God thanks when everything goes our way. When we score the touchdown or hit the home run or finish first, it’s easy to praise Him. But what about when we experience adversity or heartbreak? How do we respond then? Does our gratitude depend on our circumstances or performance? Or will we look to God to turn our trials into testimonies? Do we seek God for what we can get from Him? Or do we seek Him to find Him alone?

If we only seek Him and thank Him for what He does, we will end up disillusioned and disappointed when He doesn’t do what we want Him to. God is not a lucky charm or a rabbit-foot. He desires that we seek Him simply to know Him. Being a True Competitor is about putting God first in every area. It means being thankful for who He is, not for what He can do for us.

With a grateful heart, we can accomplish much. So let the competition begin!

Dan Britton

Jimmy Page

THE TRUE COMPETITOR CHALLENGE

It’s time to take the True Competitor Challenge and start training camp today. Making this commitment to be a True Competitor will transform you into a Christ-centered, supernaturally powered difference maker—on the field, in the locker room, and in life.

Lord Jesus, I am responding to the call on my life to be a True Competitor. I want to be transformed more and more into Your likeness so You can use me to influence my teammates, my coaches, and even the world of sports. And I know I need help to become the person You have designed me to be.

As a True Competitor, I am committed to

Train daily: I will seek God first, pursuing a personal relationship with Jesus each day.

Run right: I will remain faithful, striving to do the right thing even when it’s hard.

Understand myself: I will discover my gifts, humbly using them for God’s purposes.

Encourage others: I will refresh others, speaking words of life and taking action to help others be their best for God.

On this day, I take the True Competitor Challenge.

1

THE ULTIMATE GAME CHANGER

True Competitor Principle

In a single moment, God can change a heart.

Create a moment for life change and God can change any life in a moment.1

STEVE FITZHUGH

In 1956, as a sophomore lacrosse player at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, my dad made a game-changing play. The Midshipmen were up against the Syracuse University Orangemen. Jim Brown, who played for the Orangemen, was not only a standout lacrosse player but also one of the greatest football players ever to play the game. The Orangemen were whipping up on the Midshipmen, and my dad’s coach, William “Dinty” Moore, told him to go into the game and stop Jim Brown.

A few plays later, my dad saw his opportunity. With Jim Brown running toward him, Jim’s head turning the other way to catch the ball, my dad knew this was his moment. Running at full speed, he knocked Jim Brown into the scorer’s table. Bodies flew everywhere, and the scorer’s table flipped over. As a result of the hit, the Midshipmen were inspired, and they came back and won the game. My dad started every game after that game-changing play.

Game-changing plays have a huge impact on sports history. Some would say those moments are why we watch and play sports.

But spiritual game changers are even more important. The ultimate game changer is the moment we surrender our lives to the living God. This moment, when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and ask Him to be the Lord of our lives, alters everything. He grips our lives in such a way that we take a 180-degree turn— not just a tweak or slight correction but a complete turnaround.

The apostle Peter preached about this ultimate game-changing play in Acts.

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call. (Acts 2:38–39)

We, Dan and Jimmy, have both experienced this ultimate game-changing play, though our stories are very different.

My (Dan’s) spiritual shift happened during the summer of 1975, when I was eight and my mom was leading a Good News Bible Club for the neighborhood kids. With a simple prayer, I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and told Him that I wanted to become His child.

However, it was not until July 22, 1982, at a Word of Life summer camp in Schroon Lake, New York, that I completely surrendered everything in my life to Jesus. To symbolize my decision, I threw a wood chip, representing my life, into a bonfire. With tears streaming down my face, I now understood as a fourteen-year-old that prayer I’d prayed with my mom at age eight. Since then, life has never been the same. I still have the little yellow card I signed that evening at camp that says, “All I am, all I have, and all I ever hope to be, I now and forever dedicate to the Lord Jesus Christ for His use and glory, absolutely, unconditionally, now and forever.” The way I lived my life and competed in my sport changed that evening.

My (Jimmy’s) ultimate game-changing moment came in college. I had grown up in a somewhat religious home and had a strong moral compass. I knew right from wrong and did my best to do the right thing because I was a people pleaser. I had a great childhood and a great family.

My dad was a leader in the community, coached my baseball teams, and was well respected. But at home, something changed when alcohol entered the equation. I quickly discovered that the way to please my dad was through performance. So I pursued and found success in both academics and athletics. In my heart, performance became not only my way to earn my dad’s love but also my response to my emptiness. It also defined how I related to God. I found that achievement in sports and school brought praise, acceptance, and love.

But in the end, my pursuit of my father’s love—and God’s— wore me out. I was only as good as my last game or grade. I was striving for perfection to earn God’s favor and avoid guilt. And that burden got so heavy that I couldn’t carry it anymore. I was tired of trying to earn love and failing.

Before I left for college, I saw a radical change in my brother, John; he had an unusual peace and could weather the verbal pressure from our dad. And I witnessed him reading his Bible for the first time ever. Then at Virginia Tech, I was surrounded by believers who seemed to have what I was looking for—joy, love, forgiveness, and peace.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). I replaced my religion with a relationship. And I dropped my burden for belief. I realized that there was nothing I could do to earn God’s love; I would never be good enough. I surrendered my effort and received the life-giving gift of Jesus. I was finally free. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Jesus said, “To all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12 HCSB). The spiritual shift took place for both Dan and I, and we both understood Ephesians 2:8–9:

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Paul explained the game-changing play that brings victory every time.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. (Romans 10:9–10 NLT)

Have you experienced that spiritual shift in your life? Is there a moment in time when you called on the name of Jesus? If not, today can be your day. We encourage athletes and coaches to pray a prayer of surrender. This prayer is just an expression of what the Lord is doing in your heart. If you would like to trust in Jesus now, here is a prayer we recommend:

Dear God, thank You for loving me and wanting the best for my life. I have lived my life for myself and done things my way, and I am truly sorry. Jesus, I believe that You are God and have forgiven all my sins by dying and coming back to life again for me. I trust You and ask You to be Lord of my life. I surrender my life to You. You are my God, my Savior, and my Lord. Let me experience Your love and Your good plans for my life. Amen.

Have you prayed this ultimate game-changing prayer? If not, today’s the day!

TRAINING TIME

What are your favorite sports game changers? How did they change the outcome of the game? How did they change the life or career of the player?

Have you experienced a spiritual game-changing moment? Have you surrendered your life to Christ? If so, when was it, and what happened?

Read Romans 3:10, 23; 5:8, 12; 6:23; 10:9–11, 13. What do these portions of Scripture say about God’s plan of salvation? Take some time to thank Jesus for being the Ultimate Game Changer.

Oswald Chambers wrote, “You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.”2 What has God done for you on the inside?

Read John 10:10. Why is this verse a game changer? Why do most people think having a relationship with Jesus is a negative thing?

Read 2 Corinthians 5:20. What does it mean to be ambassadors for Christ? In what ways can you share Jesus with your team or coaches?

Discuss the True Competitor principle In a single moment, God can change a heart. Ask, Have I experienced a spiritual shift in my life? Share your story of transformation with someone on your team. Pray together that every teammate and coach will make such a game-changing life decision. Use the Game Plan section to write the story of your own spiritual game changer.

GAME PLAN

Father God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me. I am eternally grateful for the love and grace You have poured out. I love You and want to follow and obey You for the rest of my life. Help me be the person and the competitor who will give You honor and glory in all I do. My life has changed because of Your love for me. I now know that the Ultimate Game Changer is Jesus Christ. Thank You for transforming my heart. This spiritual shift has changed everything. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

2

BIGGER. FASTER. STRONGER.

True Competitor Principle

We do the training; God does the changing.

It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.3

ZIG ZIGLAR

When I was growing up, sports were my life. No matter the season, I had a ball in my hand. From football to basketball to baseball, I never let up. Most days, we would play pickup games in the neighborhood until dark and only head home when one of our moms yelled that dinner was ready. I would even shovel snow from my driveway so I could practice shooting baskets during the winter. My neighbors would beg me to go to bed because they could hear the ball bouncing late into the night as I played using only the dim light from the light post across the street.

When I got to high school, I realized I had to train in a different way to make the teams. I needed to get bigger, faster, and stronger. So my brother and I got a membership at the Nautilus Health Club, and a personal trainer would punish us three or four times a week to make us better. And trust me, it worked.

Athletes spend over 95 percent of their time training and less than 5 percent competing. If you want to compete, you have to train. As a sports performance coach, I see athletes work hard year-round, in season and out, to prepare their bodies for sport. Coaches develop a training plan, and athletes follow the plan. They make sacrifices to get better. They spend most of their time on the practice field or in the gym. Training prepares them for game time.

But spiritually speaking, most of us spend very little time training. We spend 99 percent of our time living and less than 1 percent of our time training. We read devotions, but we aren’t very devoted. We call time with God quiet time, but we rush through it to tackle the noise of the day. We lack the competitive mindset that we are facing an opponent. Why don’t we approach our spiritual life as a training program? Instead, we often treat it casually. If we’re honest, most of us don’t even have a plan. And our hit-and-miss approach is littered with excuses: we’re too tired or too busy. As a result, we’re often spiritually unprepared for the challenges of life.

The bottom line is that we want the results without the work. We want to have strong character and faith. We want to be able to weather the storms of life, resist temptation, and walk away from sin. We want to be unselfish, loving, and slow to anger. We want a lot of things, but are we willing to pay the price?

We need to match what we do to our desire. In 1 Timothy 4:7–8, Paul instructed,

Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, Paul told us to be like athletes training to win the prize. And Ephesians 6:10–18 challenges us to be soldiers ready for battle.

We need a training plan—but we also need to show up and put in some time. We can’t be weekend warriors. There are three training truths you must believe for your training to be useful:

Training is always opposed.

Pursuing a relationship with Christ goes against our flesh, the Enemy, the culture, and our schedules. The Enemy does not want us connecting with God or growing in wisdom, so he’ll attempt to distract us, discourage us, and overwhelm us with busyness. We’ll be tempted to sleep a little longer and skip our training time with God.

Training is often painful but always purposeful.

In order to grow, we will need to push and even get a little sore. That’s a good thing, even though it may not feel so good at the time. Spiritual muscle grows when we push it beyond its limits. And that pain is always a precursor to growth.

Training is a useful means but a destructive end.

Training is a means to an end, but it’s never meant to be an end in and of itself. Our goal is to be changed into the likeness of Christ, to have the fruit of the Spirit growing inside us (Galatians 5:22–25), then to show up on the outside. If training is your “end,” it will become nothing more than religious activity that you check off your list.

If anybody should understand this principle, it’s athletes and coaches. We know the hours it takes in the gym and on the practice field to produce peak performance. If you want to experience real life change, you have to train your spirit the same way. So make a sacrifice, get a plan, and show up for the workout. Your soul will get bigger, faster, and stronger, and you’ll be ready for the challenges of life. There are no shortcuts to greatness or godliness. We must do the training and let God do the changing.

TRAINING TIME

What one thing could you do to achieve maximum spiritual growth and life change?

What are some things you can do each day to increase your spiritual capacity and make your soul bigger, faster, and stronger? How might this impact you in your athletic competitions?

Read 2 Peter 1:3–4. What has God given you for the journey?

Read Hebrews 12:10–12. Why is the discipline of training often painful? What does this Scripture passage say will be the result if you let God change you?

Read Philippians 2:12–14. What does this passage suggest about your role and God’s role in the training and changing process?

Read Philippians 4:8 and 2 Timothy 3:16–17. What do these passages suggest about the importance of reading the Word and meditating on it?

Discuss the True Competitor principle We do the training; God does the changing. What would a spiritual training program look like? Help others map out and execute a plan. Find ways to encourage coaches and teammates to put in the time and effort to get stronger spiritually. Write your personal plan today.

GAME PLAN

Father, give me the desire and discipline to begin and stick with a spiritual training program that increases the capacity of my heart and soul. Make me bigger, faster, and stronger in character, love, and joy. I know that when I show up and train, You will change me from the inside out and make me a game changer on my team, in my family, and in my community. Amen.

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COMPETITIVE GREATNESS

True Competitor Principle

Be the best you.

Peace of mind…is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.4

JOHN WOODEN

Five-time All-Pro Green Bay Packers lineman Jerry Kramer played from 1958 to 1968. Coach Vince Lombardi rode him hard—really hard—in the 1959 preseason. Jerry wanted to quit until one day, Coach came through the locker room and told Jerry that he could become the greatest lineman in the NFL. That one encounter with Coach Lombardi transformed Jerry. That day, he decided to give 100 percent to every play in practice and games. And he became one of the greatest linemen because he understood the concept of competitive greatness. When Lombardi saw more in him and challenged him to use all of his ability, there was a total release of all Jerry’s talents, skills, and gifts whenever he competed.

Legendary basketball coach John Wooden coined the phrase competitive greatness. As a competitive athlete, I sometimes get competitive greatness mixed up with being great. That’s not good! Being the best is striving to be number one. Competitive greatness is not being the best but being the best you can be. There can only be one best, but everyone can become the best they can be. And only one player can be the best on a team, but a whole team can achieve competitive greatness.

Competitive greatness is learning to rise to every occasion and to push yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually to reach your God-given potential. Paul wrote this about competition:

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step…I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24–27 NLT)

Coach Wooden defined competitive greatness as “a real love for the hard battle, knowing it offers the opportunity to be at your best when your best is required.”5 These three “Be” principles have helped me grasp what competitive greatness is:

Be prepared.