Jesus Christ has done great things in my life. Everything else will fade away, but it’s our faith in Him that ultimately saves us. This is where true and lasting happiness comes from. It’s no secret that other things can make us happy in life, but genuine, pure, happiness — in the midst of our best and worst moments — comes from Jesus Christ.
It’s vitally important to be grounded in your faith. Part of that process is putting good people around you to influence you — other Christ-followers and people you can trust. When you become a famous athlete, everybody wants a piece of the pie. So it’s crucial to have people around you whom you can trust, who can mentor you, and who will keep you grounded.
Being a professional athlete and having a voice to speak out is really a cool thing. People will take notice of you; you have a platform to do great things! Sometimes you may have a few mishaps along the way, but that’s normal. You’re human and we all err. But the great thing about this is that we can still glorify God through the good and bad. By giving Him the glory and acknowledging His grace and power, we can use our platforms to share the Gospel.
At Manchester United, we had a number of men who were really strong in their faith in Jesus Christ. One was Quinton Fortune, who played for the South African national team. He and I were able to help each other along in our faith. Other players, as well as the chaplain, were also very influential in helping me and my family along. I always had people there to lend a hand, an ear and a voice, people I could dig into the Gospel with.
One of my favorite verses, the one I have tattooed on my wrist, is Psalm 46:10, which says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Whether I’m faced with a situation where I’m dealing with my turrets syndrome, making a tough decision or I’m just feeling anxiety arise in my heart, I can go back to this truth. Just be still and God will take care of it — all the noise, jitters and anxiety. When I read this verse, it’s as if God is speaking quietly to me, yet demanding that I just be still and let Him take care of the rest.
God is continually teaching me to let go and let Him take the wheel. Coming to the end of my career, I’m thinking about what’s next. These questions can easily create doubt, but I know He’s been so good thus far and He’s going to be good for the rest of time. So when I start to get tense and think too much about what might come, I just back off and give it to Him.
— Tim Howard, Colorado Rapids goalkeeper
The Increase, part of the Sports Spectrum Network, is a community of Christian pro athletes sharing their personal stories of the decrease of self and the increase of Christ (John 3:30). Visit TheIncrease.com for more stories and videos.
