What is My Purpose?

During Competition

Many people wonder about the purpose of life. Does our purpose depend on:

• Our job?
• Where we live?
• Our age?
• How much money or success we have?

The clear answer to all these questions is no. Our purpose does not depend on any of those things.

We all have the same God-given purpose. In Genesis 1:26, God says that He will make man into His image and His likeness. Our God-given purpose is to reflect the image, likeness, and character of God in all that we do. This process began with Adam in the Garden of Eden and continues for us today. He wants to help us fulfill this purpose in our own lives.

When competing, I keep this purpose in mind for several reasons:

• It allows me to be consistent. My ultimate goal in everything is to be more like Jesus. Whether I am training, competing at a local tournament, or wrestling at the Olympic Games, I remind myself of why I am there. I remind myself of this greater purpose and surrender everything I have to Jesus.
• It keeps me at peace throughout the highs and lows of life. One thing I have learned from competing at the highest level is that I need to master the time off the mat as much as I do on the mat. God has helped me keep a clear mind as I train for tournaments. He gives me peaceful sleep at night and joy in the morning as I make it my ultimate goal to become more like Him.
• It helps me deal with tough situations. Jesus says that there will be difficult times (John 16:33). These trials are for my benefit because it is teaching me how to rely more on Jesus. These trials test and grow our faith, just as Jesus’ faith was proven perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10).

These reasons go beyond competition. No matter what challenges we face, our ultimate purpose remains the same. We are to reflect God’s image in all we do and trust Him to guide us every step of the way.

Action Points:

• Ask God to give you a deep understanding in your heart that your purpose is to become more like Him in all ways.
• Continually ask yourself, “What is God teaching me through this moment?”
• Bring God into your planning, training, and competition process. He wants to build a relationship with you in your work.

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for revealing that my purpose in this life is to grow into becoming more like your character. Help me to keep my mind focused on this fact in all that I do. In the name of Jesus, amen!