One of the most common themes in the Bible is "struggle." For Christian athletes, that means you’ll need grit.
Talking Points:
- Contrary to popular belief, being faithful to God and following Jesus will not exempt us from hardship and suffering. In fact, we may very well suffer more hardship and loss because of our faith. John 16:33
- To overcome adversity, we need to have grit. Grit is toughness and perseverance. When we look at God’s calling on our lives, we see that we need to persevere. We also need to be gentle and humble. You can have grit and perseverance while also being a kind, caring, and humble follower of Christ.
- If you are following Jesus, you carry the Holy Spirit with you. He is with you through adversity and will supply your needs. Philippians 4:13, James 1:2-5
- To build grit, change your view of Jesus. He’s not a vending machine, but a fire. To get more warmth from a fire, draw close to him. Develop your spiritual life. Fast and pray. Study God’s word. Seek discipleship, and seek to disciple and mentor others.
Discussion Questions:
- Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
- What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
- There are a lot of struggles talked about in the Bible. What sort of struggles have you gone through in your own life?
- Read Matthew 5:45. Jesus says that it rains on the just and the unjust alike. What does he mean by this, and how is his teaching relevant for our lives today?
- What does it look like to have grit? Would you say you have grit? Why or why not?
- Read Philippians 4:13 and James 1:2-5. What do these verses taken together teach us about enduring hardship for God?
- Think of prayer and fasting, Bible study, worship, and discipleship/disciple-making. What steps do you need to take to build up more grit or spiritual perseverance?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
