Athlete Identity Crisis: 30 Days to Understanding Your Identity in Christনমুনা

Sonship > Stats

The scoreboard doesn’t lie. At the end of every game, the numbers tell who won and who lost. For athletes, those numbers can feel like the ultimate verdict. Win, and you feel validated. Lose, and you feel worthless.

And it makes some sense.

Many of us train all year for our specific sport. We wake up early and put in the work throughout the day. And repeat. And repeat, until it comes time to compete. Apart from an intervention, this process disciples us to think everything rides or dies on the result of the competition.

This is our intervention.

In 1 Timothy 4:8, Paul reminds Timothy that while physical training and competition have value, they’re temporary. Wins and losses fade, trophies collect dust, and records are eventually broken. What lasts? Training for godliness. Why? Because it holds value for this life and the one to come.

Now, this doesn’t mean sports don’t matter. Competing with intensity and discipline honors God. But when your identity is tied to the scoreboard, you’re setting yourself up for a rollercoaster. You’ll feel invincible one day and crushed the next. And you’re also saying what you accomplished (or failed to accomplish) is more important than what God declares true about you. Ouch!

Think of Jesus’ baptism. Before He ever performed a miracle or preached a sermon, the Father declared: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17 ESV). Jesus’ identity was and still is grounded on the fact that He is the Son of the Father. It’s built on sonship, not ministry statistics—and that’s saying something because Jesus holds every ministry stat there is! Athlete, God loves you—not because you’re an MVP, but because you’re His child.

So, when the scoreboard says you’re on top, stay humble. When it says you’ve lost, don’t despair. Either way, your identity is secure in Christ. The scoreboard may measure success in the moment, but godliness is what extends into eternity.

Question to Consider: How can you shift your mindset from being defined by the scoreboard to focusing on godliness that lasts beyond the game?