Fueled by Joy

Before Competition

Have you ever had a hard time falling asleep the night before a big game? Has your heart ever started beating really fast before the opening whistle blows? Anticipation, excitement, and nerves before a competition are common. But we all process those feelings in different ways.

When we learn to channel this energy into something productive, it can fuel us to compete at our best. Yet, if you don’t know how to manage these feelings of excitement, they can bring anxiety and fear. This can wind up hurting your performance.

My senior year of college, I was so excited for our opening soccer game. It was on our home field, against one of our biggest rivals. I was starting and had been named a captain for the year. This was my moment to establish myself as a leader and make a statement against one of the best teams in the country.

But as we prepared for kickoff, I let the moment get too big. The excitement I felt turned into anxiety and an endless loop of “what if” questions circled in my mind.

• “What if I make a big mistake that costs us the game?”
• “What if my teammates don’t trust me as their captain?”
• “What if I am not the player I thought I was?”

I got so nervous that I found the nearest trashcan to throw up!

Thankfully, one of my teammates and close friends came over and lovingly put her hand on my back. She reminded me what mattered most—playing with love for the game and for my teammates. When we do something we love, we radiate joy.

In Romans 15:13, Paul talks about a joy that comes from being in a relationship with God. It is a joy that fills us up so much that we overflow! Think of your heart as a cup. When a cup is full to the top with water, there is no room for anything else. When we are full of the joy that comes from God, there is no room in our hearts or minds for fear, anxiety, or doubt.

In the Romans verse, Paul talks about joy’s partner—peace. Joy and peace go together. When we focus on joy as our why, peace also flows in our hearts. A peace that has the power to calm anxious thoughts and to crush doubts. A peace that keeps us focused on what could go right during a competition and away from what could go wrong.

What is the product of an athlete’s heart full of joy and peace before a competition? An overflowing of hope. Today, we tend to use hope as a wish that may or may not come true. But Biblical hope is a confident expectation, not a wish or feeling. It’s based on the belief that God is faithful and keeps his promises.

I don’t know about you, but I want to be the kind of teammate who gives others this kind of hope. Hope, even if we’re the underdogs. Hope, even in the face of a moment of unexpected adversity. Hope, even when the moment feels bigger than our abilities. Hope, even when nerves threaten to freeze us.

I have found that reflecting on moments where I have felt joy in my relationship with Jesus keeps me grounded before a big competition. I remember God has blessed me with the opportunity to do something that I love. Knowing that keeps my mind at peace when nerves, anxiety, and doubt try to steal my joy.

Application Questions:

• What joyful moment from God can you recall to calm anxious thoughts?
• Who on your team or in your circle can you be a source of hope for?

Prayer:

God, we praise you for your unending supply of joy and peace. We are grateful that we can confidently place our hope in You. We ask that You allow joy and peace to come into our hearts, especially in the anxious moments, and that You help us remember to compete with that joy in mind. Help us be a source of hope to our teammates and the people around us so we can face any challenge that comes our way with a grateful heart. Amen.