Pay Attention
“Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13
Coaches say it frequently. Athletes hear it frequently. Pay attention! Listen! Or as Paul puts it to the Corinthians, be alert.
In sports, athletes need to pay attention to where the ball is, where their teammates are, where the other team is and what Coach is yelling. Coaches need to pay attention to injuries, grades, attitudes and relational issues. So many things to pay attention to. The whole team suffers when competitors are not paying attention.
As Christ-following athletes, we need to be on the lookout for threats to our faith. If we are not alert, selfishness and laziness can creep in. There are distractions, like social media and school drama, and attitudes that carry us further from the LORD instead of closer to Him. We must be alert and pay attention to these threats and adjust our lives accordingly.
One way to be alert is to have an accountability partner; someone who can point out where we may be allowing ourselves to drift away. Another way to be alert is to make sure you are spending time with the LORD every day. Daily Bible reading helps you to know who God is and what He expects. Prayer is another powerful tool to help you be alert.
Competition is full of chaos and noise and so is the world. Be alert. Pay attention.
- What are some threats to your faith you need to guard against?
- How can you build the habit of time with God?
“Father, help me to be alert to the threats around me. I trust that You are my refuge, so grow my love for You. Open my eyes to see where I am allowing distractions to draw me away. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
