5 Ways to Handle Pressure as an Athlete

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1)

We are athletes, but we may differ in how we utilize our abilities. Some of us may play on a team while others compete as individuals. We may have different gifts and talents that include size, strength and speed. And although we may not connect within the same sport, there is something that still connects us within the participation of our different sports: The pressure to perform. This pressure doesn’t discriminate based on gender, race or sport. No matter who you are or where you are from, we can all relate to thoughts of anxiousness, feelings of self-doubt and overwhelming fear of failure that are all rooted in our pressure to prove ourselves: To our parents, our coaches, our peers, and yes, maybe even God. 

How can we handle this pressure? How will God respond to ease the struggle?

As we read God’s Word, there are plenty of men and women who understand this pressure and stress, including King Josiah. Josiah was handed the keys to the kingdom of Israel at just 8 years old, and for 31 years, he led God’s people. I can only imagine the pressure of leading an entire nation, yet he did it well. 

As we read in 2 Kings 22, during Josiah’s reign, his priest found God’s Word and read it aloud. As a sign of despair and grieving with the realization they had not been following God, King Josiah tore his clothes. There wasn’t just the pressure of leading God’s people, but now he wanted to do it but to do it God’s way. What was his game plan, and how can we apply King Josiah’s wisdom to our own lives?

Read God’s Word to the People with His People 

“Then the king went to the Lord’s temple with all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the prophets—all the people from the youngest to the oldest. He read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the LORD’s temple.” (2 Kings 23:2)

Like every track athlete knows, you can’t run the race if you aren’t at the starting line. Josiah knew the starting line was to gather his people and get into God’s Word. This is our starting line too. We were never created to do life alone but join with the support of other believers and the guidance of God’s Word. If you are feeling overwhelmed, start with gathering your teammates and getting into the Bible.

When we pray for one another and point each other to truths in the Bible, we can’t help but feel pressure release because someone else is helping carry our burdens. 

Make the Commitment 

“Next, the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant in the LORD’s presence to follow the Lord and to keep his commands, his decrees, and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul.” (2 Kings 23:3)

When an athlete signs to play their sport at the next level, often we see their picture on social media with the words, “Committed.” They are announcing to the world, “I am committed to play at this university. I am committed to follow this program’s rules. I am committed to listen to this coach.” 

This is Josiah signing his name on the dotted line to show all God’s people he was following God with all his heart and soul, dedicating to obey God’s Word and imploring his people to do the same. We each must decide similarly, saying, “I am committed to the Lord and His ways, when things are good and when they are not, when I am winning and when I am not, when I am feeling the pressure and when I am not.” We don’t have to please everyone; we just have to honor ONE. 

Remove What Needs to Go 

“Then the king commanded the high priest, Hilkiah and the priests of the second rank and the doorkeepers to bring out of the LORD’s sanctuary all the articles made for Baal, Asherah, and all the stars in the sky.” (2 Kings 23:4)

There were things made for other gods that were brought into God’s house and the king had them removed. Like Josiah, there are times we just need to “clean house.” What have we brought into our minds, hearts and bodies that do not honor God and adds pressure to our lives? Are we watching shows on Netflix that lead our minds to dark places? Are we listening to songs that make us more anxious? Are we spending hour after hour scrolling on social media comparing ourselves to others? It’s time to remove the things that lead us further from the Lord and ask Him to help remove it if it is something we have a tough time letting go.

Remove Who Needs to Go 

“Then he did away with the idolatrous priests the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense at the high places in the cities of Judah and in the areas surrounding Jerusalem.” (2 Kings 23:5)

Josiah didn’t just remove things, but people. There are times that God wants us to remove a toxic relationship or friendship that has not been leading us towards Jesus or been encouraging. Then there are those people who can’t be removed from our lives, but we can remove what space we let them have in our minds. We don’t have to believe it when a coach says we are “worthless.” We don’t have keep hold of those words from a loved one who says that we don’t matter. We can remove what they say and replace them with what God says. He says we are beloved (John 3:16), chosen (Jeremiah 1:5), redeemed (Ephesians 1:7), among so much more.

Celebrate and Rest 

“The king commanded all the people, ‘Observe the Passover of the LORD your God as written in the book of the covenant.’”

(2 Kings 23:21)

King Josiah reminds us that we must take time to celebrate who God is and what He has done. When we don’t take time to celebrate and rest, we feel the pressure to control our time and days. But we can trust in the One True God who is in control. God understands the pressures of this world, which is why He created a day of celebration and rest just for us called the Sabbath. TAKE IT. Go to church to celebrate who God is. Take a nap. Do something fun with your friends. The pressure to do is relieved when we celebrate, rest and just be.

Did Josiah’s game plan work? Yes!

“Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his strength according to all the law of Moses, and no one like him arose after him.” (2 Kings 23:25)

The pressures we are under are often rooted in the need to prove ourselves, but God clearly marks out a better way to relieve the pressure and life in His strength. We don’t have to live to prove ourselves to the world; we just have to be living proof of a risen God.

LIVE IT OUT:

“’He must increase, but I must decrease.’” -John 3:30

Question: What are your three biggest pressure points as an athlete? How can you take the points above and integrate them into these struggles?

Challenge: Prioritize spending time in God’s Word and handing Him your burdens each day