REFLECTING GLORY: PART 1

WELCOME

“We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”– 2 Corinthians 3:18

Last time, we talked about surrendering our lives to Jesus in exchange for a new and eternal life in Heaven. But true surrender comes from trusting God in all areas of your life—including your pursuits as a competitor.

Thankfully, your relationship with Jesus comes with an incredible helper, the Holy Spirit, who guides you through the process of spiritual transformation.

WORKOUT

Lifting the Veil

Thousands of years before Jesus walked the earth, God spoke to a select few people who then conveyed His commands to everyone else. One of those chosen leaders was Moses. In the Book of Exodus, he led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt thanks to direct communication from the Lord and many incredible miracles.

Many years into his journey (found in Exodus 33), Moses asked if God would reveal Himself. God’s glory was too much for any human to bear, but He allowed Moses to catch a partial glimpse of his back. For many days after, Moses had to wear a veil over his face because it shone so brightly from the encounter.

When Jesus came to earth, mankind got another glimpse of God’s glory, but it wasn’t fully revealed until His death and resurrection – that’s when His glory was fully revealed.

The apostle Paul was a man who converted to the Christian faith after an incredible encounter with Jesus (Acts 9:1-10). In 2 Corinthians 3:12-16, He described the symbolism of the veil and how it is removed once you choose to follow Jesus:

We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from gazing steadily until the end of the glory of what was being set aside… but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. (vv. 13, 16)

When you decide to trust in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, the veil over your heart is removed. The darkness that was once there is now replaced with the light of His truth and the power of His Spirit, so you can begin to reflect His glory more each day.

Reflecting His Glory

Just like Paul had learned, the first step to reflecting God’s glory is surrendering to Him as you trust and obey the Holy Spirit’s leading.

“Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25)

For you in your sport, that could mean:

• Putting your faith and confidence in God and not relying solely on your talent and hard work
• Giving Him thanks in the moments when things don’t go your way
• Putting others first
• Looking at your sport as a way to reach others for Jesus and not just a vehicle for your future plans

No matter the situation, others will begin to see Jesus in you through your actions and responses. That’s when God’s reflected glory can shine brightest in your life as you continue to trust, obey, and follow His Spirit.

• Where do you need to entrust some areas of your competitive life to God?
• What specific ways can you reflect God’s glory through your sport?

WRAP-UP

When you go deeper into your new life with Jesus, remember that:

• Reflecting His Glory means trusting God, obeying Him, and following the Holy Spirit no matter what.
  • For if the ministry that brought condemnation had glory, the ministry that brings righteousness overflows with even more glory. (2 Corinthians 3:9)

As you trust God more with every aspect of your life, you will continue to move from chasing your glory to reflecting His glory.

Key Action

In your Huddle or quiet time, reflect on those things you need to surrender to God. Make a plan to truly trust Him as you seek to reflect His glory.

Challenge: I am tempted to boast in myself and my abilities instead of God and others.

Truth: “God’s glory is reflected in my life as I become more like Him.” (John 17:20-23)