7 Habits of a Grateful AthleteSample

GRATEFUL ATHLETES RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE IN THEIR OPPONENT

Paul encourages us to take time in our lives to think about what is excellent around us. For the athlete, that could be an incredible performance they witnessed. It could be a historical stadium where they are competing. Or it could be their rival. Athlete, does your rival have a commendable skill set? Are they excellent at what they do during competition? I think the Bible encourages us in Philippians 4:8 to recognize that excellence and appreciate it—and allow that process to ultimately bring our attention back to our Creator.

Do grateful athletes want to beat their rivals in competition? Absolutely! But they have an appreciation for their competitors and the work they have put into getting better as an athlete. Have you ever noticed that rivals tend to bring their best to the table when they play? Grateful athletes practice gratitude towards a rival on two levels.

One, they are thankful that their rival will ultimately bring out the best in their own performance.

Two, because their joy is not dependent on winning, they are able to appreciate and look forward to the competition itself. Grateful athletes have a unique ability to want to beat their opponent while at the same time appreciating the intensity that is about to ensue.

Gratitude Challenge: Think of that one opponent who you would consider your rival. Express to God through prayer something like this: “God, thank you for ____________. Thank you for the ability you have given them to play this sport. Thank you that they consistently bring out the best in me. I am grateful to compete against them!”

Bonus challenge: If you are connected to this rival on social media, consider private messaging them and telling them you are grateful for the opportunity to compete against them and how much you appreciate their skill, drive, and excellence.

PS. I adapted this plan from my new book The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports