You’ve heard your coach say, “BE TOUGH!” As an athlete, you know what he means. It’s an encouragement to rise above the pain that could keep you from achieving your highest level of success.

Sometimes as a competitor, you’ll face mental challenges and have to fight emotions that bring discouragement and hopelessness. There will be times when you endure an injury that could bring physical pain and make you question whether or not you want to keep playing. Being tough is an attitude that allows you to push through mental and physical challenges that might cause others to give up.

But as a Christian athlete, the phrase, “BE TOUGH,” carries a deeper meaning that can give you success in every circumstance of life. The words of Jesus Christ in John 16:33 should be a constant reminder that He has provided a supernatural covering that will help you rise up when hard times come. He says, “Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” Jesus reminds us that adversity will come. Hard times in life will come. The question is, when will those times come? As a competitor for Christ you no longer have to worry about the answer to that question because you know that He will be right beside you.