A Flood of Faith: Surge of Athletes Publicly Glorify God

If you’re like me and you spend a bit too much time scrolling through social media, you know there’s plenty of good and bad content circulating on the interwebs.

Recently, many faith-filled clips have flooded my timeline on X (i.e. Twitter): multiple football players and other athletes have spoken openly, boldly, and intelligently about their faith in Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, January 12, the Washington Commanders beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a wild card game to earn a spot in the playoffs. In a post-game interview, Commanders’ quarterback Jayden Daniels spoke about how he stayed calm during the high-stakes game:

Reporter: How are you so calm and so poised?

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels: “Trust in the Lord God. There’s nothing I should worry about. I put all of my worries on Him. He’ll take care of the rest.” pic.twitter.com/pFou86z2J8

— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) January 13, 2025

On Friday, January 10, The Ohio State Buckeyes bested the Texas Longhorns 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl. In a post-game interview, the Buckeyes’ running back TreVeyon Henderson spoke about how his faith – and his sorrow for a penalty he caused during the game – helped him through:

Playing with Christ Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson gives a powerful witness to our Lord and shares how Jesus helped him through the highs and lows of the Cotton Bowl pic.twitter.com/F06xdbKtim

— Saintfuel (@saintfuel) January 11, 2025

Henderson reshared the clip of his interview on X, writing: “I love you Lord, for your mercy never fails me ‘So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.’ Hebrews 4:16.”

Likewise, Ohio State’s quarterback Will Howard spoke about his faith after winning against the Longhorns:

“First of all, God is good. And I gotta give all of the thanks to my Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ…”
– Ohio State QB Will Howard after their win vs Texas to clinch a spot in the National Championship pic.twitter.com/gOeNcDqlfj

— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) January 11, 2025

On Thursday, January 9, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish bested the Penn State Nittany Lions 27-24 in the Orange Bowl. The Fighting Irish’s quarterback Riley Leonard spoke about submitting to the Lord’s will during the game:

Powerful: Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard gives all the credit to Jesus for their win:

“Shoot, I just trusted in the Lord. I looked up and said, ‘Jesus, whatever your will is for my life, I trust it 100 percent.'”

What a role model

pic.twitter.com/3ZmrHkHUed

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 10, 2025

Finally, Orlando Magic power forward Jonathan Isaac recently spoke about his focus on Christ during Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, which the Magic won 104-99:

“Honestly, I was just thinking about Christ the whole time. Like God, you got me… Great team effort to win the game.”
– Orlando Magic PF Jonathan Isaac after their win vs Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/o5Gc8xPLRW

— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) January 13, 2025

All of this faith-filled content led Katy Faust, Founder and President of the child-rights organization Them Before Us, to post on X: “I watch a lot of clips without audio as I scroll through my feed. I don’t even need to hear the words of athletes thanking Jesus. Their faces all shine.”

These remarks by Christian athletes relying on their faith reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (ESV).

The Daily Citizen applauds these courageous athletes for boldly and publicly declaring their faith. It takes a great courage and conviction to do so.

Yet, it’s perhaps just as difficult to glorify God in the small things as it is in large and public ways.

Many parents and grandparents may feel that their day-to-day tasks – working full-time jobs, watching the kids, packing lunches, cooking food, washing dishes, doing laundry, babysitting the grandkids – aren’t remarkable or worthy of doing with a focus on God.

But St. Thomas Aquinas defined theology as “a unified science in which all things are treated under the aspect of God either because they are God himself or because they refer to God.”

In other words, all things relate to God in some way, because God is the creator of everything.

So, how should we see the small, seemingly ordinary tasks that many of us engage in day in and day out?

In his classic work Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote about the importance of doing what is right, even in small and seemingly insignificant decisions:

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.

So, as you go throughout your day – completing tasks both mandate and monumental – do it all for the glory of God.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24 ESV).

To learn more about the Christian faith, read C.S. Lewis’ classic Mere Christianity. You can also listen to Focus on the Family’s award winning Radio Theater: C.S. Lewis at War.

If you want to better understand the Bible and be part of God’s redemptive mission, check out RVL Discipleship: The Study.

To speak with a family help specialist or request resources, please call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).

Related articles and resources:

Working For God No Matter Where You Work

Christianity is Both a Religion and a Relationship

In Defense of That ‘Old Time Religion’

Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard: ‘Did I Better My Relationship with Jesus Christ?’

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels is Unashamed to Glorify God

Photo from Getty Images.

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