Five New Year's Resolutions for Christian Athletes

As we begin 2010, here are five suggested New Year's resolutions/habits to help Christian athletes grow stronger in their faith through participation in sports.

1. Say this simple prayer to Jesus before every practice and competition: "This is my body, which will be given up for you." Jesus sacrificed his body for us. As you sacrifice yours for your teammates and coaches, tell Jesus that you are doing it for him and his glory. Join all your successes, failures, suffering and joy to the body of Christ.

2. Bring the same intensity of athletics to your competition with sin and evil. As an athlete you want to defeat your opponents in the game. Do you have that same zeal to defeat your opponents in life--anyone who would try to separate you from God? Thomas Merton wrote that souls are like athletes, who need opponents to test them and stretch their capacities. How are you doing against those opponents? NHL referee Kerry Fraser shares this bit of wisdom he received from his spiritual adviser: "He told me there is war going on, but it is heavenly war and we are all players. We can score goals for one side or the other, but everything we do makes an impact on the score of the game." Which side are you scoring goals for?

3. Cultivate the relationship between your body and your spirit. Your body and your spirit do not exist side by side--they are an inseparable union, so much so that they form one nature. The body is animated by the spirit, the spirit is invigorated by the body. Be aware of their union, and nourish them simultaneously. What affects one (for good or for bad) affects the other.

4. If you are not already doing so, develop Christian fellowship with other athletes. The body of Christ, much like a team, is not one individual member but many united. Just as you need your teammates to train and compete as an athlete, you also need them to train and compete as a disciple. And they need you--there may be someone who needs your spiritual companionship to help them defeat their opponents.

5. Learn about the spiritual life of a famous athlete. There are so many prominent athletes who use their celebrity as a platform to evangelize. Pick one and find out as much about his or her faith life as you can, and emulate their example.

Have a very blessed and victorious 2010.