The Connected Athlete
*This is the second post in an ongoing series about understanding what it means for athletes to “put their identity in Christ.” You can read the first post here.
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. - John 16:7
“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” – Dr. Brene Brown.
We’ve all been there. We need to look something up online and expect to have an answer in less than a second. Maybe it’s an address, a post we’re tagged in on social media, or the final play in a game we’re live streaming.
Then it happens. Kicked offline. Buffering. Incorrect password. The stewardess telling us to shut down our phone while the plane takes off or lands, as if our connectedness somehow interferes with the plane’s operating system. Whatever the reason, we become disconnected.
And that sucks.
Being digitally disconnected is a frustrating experience. It means you’re limited. Stuck. The potential of what you can do—and be, is seemingly capped. But when you’re connected, the world is at your fingertips. Anything you need is available to you within seconds.
Obviously, being disconnected digitally for periods of time has its advantages. What I am referring to is the frustration that comes when you expect to be connected, only to realize you don’t have the correct password or a strong enough signal. Whether it’s spotty Wifi, relationships or sports, no one likes the reality of disconnectedness.
The disciples probably anticipated this feeling—or something similar to it, in John 16.
After spending a couple years learning at the feet of Jesus and hearing (in John 15) that Jesus desires for them to abide in him, he makes a shocking statement on two levels. One, he is leaving them. Two, this is going to be a good thing for the disciples—and for us.
Jesus isn’t trying to convince his disciples that being disconnected from him is somehow going to help with their addiction to his presence (like us being connected/disconnected with our phones). Quite the opposite. Jesus is promising a better, deeper, more consistent connection with him. This is a paradox personified. Jesus is leaving. But because he is leaving, we will be more connected to him.
How is this possible? How can any connection be better than the physical presence of Jesus himself?
Author Jon Bloom provides some helpful commentary on this reality:
“Jesus intended for billions of people to hear his gospel on multiple continents around the globe over the course of many centuries. His physical presence on earth would be a tremendous draw for his disciples. Who would want to spend their lives far away from him when they could be with him?
So, part of God’s eschatological design is a strategy that would scale to meet the needs of this massive mission. It could only be accomplished if Jesus’s powerful presence was in millions of disciples as they took the gospel to billions of people around the world over millennia. That’s why it’s to everyone’s advantage, for now, that Jesus is physically absent.
Because of this, you as a disciple, no matter where you are, have the unspeakable advantage of the presence of the triune God dwelling in you to commune with you and empower you in your role in his Great Commission.”
This “Helper” that Jesus refers to in John 16 is the Holy Spirit. He (yes, the Spirit is personified in the Bible) lives in us. And he does some incredible things through this unusual connection. Here are a few noteworthy benefits of being connected to the Spirit.
He helps us when we are weak (Romans 8:26)
He prays to the Father on our behalf (Romans 8:26)
He transforms us to look more like Jesus (Romans 8:29)
He convicts us (John 16:8)
He guides us (John 16:13)
As an athlete, you are one of the most connected people groups in the world. You have connections to teachers, coaches, trainers, doctors, teammates, and even your opponents. Your platform of sport allows you greater access to connections across the digital world as well.
But you are still limited.
You’re probably aware of a sense of competitive loneliness sparked by various internal fears and insecurities. Yes, you have teammates and coaches, but deep inside is the frightening possibility that the only one who truly cares about the real you is the one looking back at you in the mirror.
If you are in Christ, you are never alone because His Spirit lives within you, offering you a constant presence no matter what you deserve or how you perform. The Spirit within you means you have access to the living God—not at your fingertips, but at the very thought.
What does this mean for you as an athlete?
Being connected to the Spirit means you are known beyond what people see on the playing field or in practice.
Being connected to the Spirit means you have unlimited access to your creator—the same creator who identifies as your Father.
Being connected to the Spirit means you don’t have to just settle for playing for God. You can now play with him.
Being connected to the Spirit means you have a purpose and power that transcends the world of sports.
Your identity as an athlete offers you some pretty amazing perks, but your identity as a follower of Christ means you are personally connected to God. It’s another reason to continue to flesh out what it means when we say we are “more than an athlete.” It’s more than just a catchy platitude. Our Christian identity offers us everything we need to grow, thrive, and persevere in sport—and more importantly, in life.
