FCA Devo #2 (Reworked for Upward Practice Devo)

Introduction

Start with sharing your personal athletic history.

But regardless of my experience with sports, one thing that I know about is one of the most FAMOUS verses for athletes in all of the Bible.

Philippians 4:13 ESV

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

I lot of times, we use this verse to say things like “I can always win every single game!”

“I can make every single shot!”

But is that really what it means?

Well, you see, if you read a bigger part of the book, what you will find is that Paul was in jail when he wrote it!

So if this verse is about winning all of the time, why is Paul in jail?

A second thing that you’ll notice is that Paul talks about learning to be content in jail

Ask: What does it mean to be content?

Dictionary.com: To be happy with what one has.

You don’t feel like you have to go to Walmart to buy your favorite toy in order to be happy.

So, when Paul says “I can do all things through Christ,” he is saying, “I can be happy with what I have (or don’t have) through Jesus

So a better application to sports would be this; when you lose, it is okay!

You can learn to be happy even if you lose

That’s what I am praying for you; that you will learn to trust Jesus no matter what and to find your happiness in Him rather than other things.

Pray to Him; Trust Him; Lean on Him.

PRAY