15 Bible Verses for Athletes Who Want to Glorify God
God calls us to give our best effort in everything we do, and sports can teach us about character and hard work. Today, we’ll explore 15 Bible verses for athletes who want to glorify God.
As a life-long athlete, I have memorized many of these verses and spoken them over my athletic endeavors. Now that I am also a coach, I believe these truths can help other athletes by teaching them important lessons about life.
If you are an athlete, I encourage you to read these Scriptures often and commit them to memory. God wants you to glorify him in all you do, and this includes giving your best effort when competing.
Let’s dive into God’s Word.
Bible Verses for Athletes
The Bible is filled with insight for athletes. Most of these Bible verses for athletes apply to athletics as well as other areas of life. Let’s take a deep dive to see what Scripture says about sports, competition, and working hard.
15 Bible Verses for Athletes
1. Colossians 3:23-24, ESV
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.
Sports teach us to put our whole hearts into everything we do. These verses are a reminder to work hard in practice and training. The effort we give when no one is watching will yield the results we desire when the competition comes.
At the same time, we are to remember why we are working hard. Although public recognition feels good, we aren’t working for the applause of people.
God wants us to do our best in all we do because this gives him glory.
Our athletic abilities are gifts from God, given to us to point others to him. How do we do this?
We talk about our faith when we’re sitting on the sideline and before games and events. We step out of our comfort zones and pray with our teammates. Keeping Christ in our conversations helps us shine his light in the world.
God wants us to carry his light into the gymnasiums, onto the courts, and onto the fields where we compete. We always need to remember that he is more concerned with our character than whether we win or lose. He is more concerned with how we point others to him than our performance.
2. 1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
I am a runner.
When I ran well, running brought me recognition, awards, and glory.
As I walked this out, God continually reminded me that my athletic abilities were meant to help others encounter him. Running felt like it was all about me, but God wanted it to be about him.
For this reason, I prayed with my relay team before every race on the track. I read my Bible and prayed with the other runners as we sat in locker rooms and on buses.
I didn’t do this perfectly. But I tried to share my faith and use sports as a vessel for sharing God’s love.
God has this desire for you, too. Use sports as a place where you share your faith with others, and you will glorify God through athletics.
3. Isaiah 40:31
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Sports teach us to keep going when we feel weary. We learn about pushing through discomfort and embracing pain as part of a growing process.
The ability to push through pain is highly overlooked in today’s culture. Most people do everything possible to avoid pain; however, in God’s kingdom, challenges are God’s primary instruments to help us grow in maturity.
As you learn to push through discomfort in athletics, you are building grit that will serve you well in life.
4. 2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Every athlete feels weak at times. Rather than avoiding these moments, God invites us to see them as opportunities to press into him and experience his power.
Scripture says that God’s power is perfectly revealed in our lives when we are weak. What might this look like in athletics?
When you feel like you cannot keep going during training, you press on, asking God to work in you.
When you are disappointed with the outcome of a competition, you turn to God and ask him to show you what he wants you to learn.
God is waiting to reveal himself in your weak moments. As you learn to turn to him in these moments through sports, you will gain skills to help you turn to him in these moments in life.
We don’t need to run from weakness. We can embrace it as God’s platform for revealing his power.
5. Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
This is one of the most misquoted Bible verses for athletes.
In sports, there is a mindset that says, “If you can believe it, you can achieve it.”
Philippians 4:13 is the Christian version of this quote, and many athletes have been sorely disappointed and confused by these words. They have declared, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Then, when they didn’t win the game or perform well, they believed Jesus let them down.
This was my story as a high school athlete. When I failed to reach all my athletic goals, I thought God had broken his promise to me.
We need to understand the context of Philippians 4:13 before we quote it as our motto for victory in athletics. Paul wrote these words while he was enduring imprisonment for spreading the gospel. He was not saying, “I can achieve any goal I set because Jesus will help me.”
More accurately, he was declaring, “I can endure even the most difficult situations because Jesus is with me.”
Do you see the difference?
We need to be careful not to set unrealistic athletic goals, declaring, “I can reach my goal because Jesus is with me.”
We might reach our goals. However, for many different reasons, we might fall short of our goals. This doesn’t mean Jesus has abandoned us for failed to keep his promise. His promise is that he will be with us to give us strength to do hard things, not that we will always reach our goals.
Claim Philippians 4:13 when you are training hard and want to quit. Speak it when you don’t want to get out of bed to go to early morning practice. But don’t make it your motto for reaching every goal. You might work hard and reach your goals. If you fall short, rest assured that Christ wants to use the experience to help you grow. He hasn’t let you down or failed to keep his promise.
6. 1 Corinthians 10:24
Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
How do we seek the good of others in sports?
We follow the rules of good sportsmanship. We are humble and kind. Additionally, we encourage other athletes and honor them.
7. 1 Timothy 4:8
For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Training our bodies establishes discipline. Most people need more discipline in their lives.
As we train for athletics, we are building discipline, and this discipline will carry into other areas of our lives.
God wants us to be disciplined in caring for our bodies, which includes eating well, staying hydrated, exercising, and sleeping well. As sports teach us these disciplines, we learn to apply this mindset to other areas. We become people who are disciplined in school, at work, and in responding to God’s pursuit.
8. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
This passage is frequently quoted by athletes. Paul was using a comparison between athletic training and discipline in life.
In the same way that a runner trains for victory, living by faith is similar to a marathon. Victory is arriving in God’s presence and hearing him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
To run the race of life well, we need to discipline our bodies, not giving into every whim and desire. We need to remember that we are called to share God’s love with others, not becoming sidetracked.
More Bible Verses for Athletes
9. Matthew 32:12
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
God honors those who are humble, but he humbles the arrogant.
One of the most admirable traits of an athlete is humility. Remember that your athletic gifts come from God, and they are meant to bring him glory.
Ask God to help you keep a humble heart, especially in times of success.
10. Jeremiah 9:23-24
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
Your greatest pursuit is not athletic success; it is knowing God.
Make knowing God the great aim of your life, and everything else will fall into its rightful place.
11. Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
God is glorified when we give our best for the sake of Christ.
Jesus loves us so much that he died on the cross for us. We can respond by putting our whole hearts into everything we do, including our athletic endeavors.
12. Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
It’s easy to become so wrapped up in performing well that we lose sight of God’s purpose for us.
Give your best as you work hard in sports. At the same time, remember that this is what you do, not who you are.
Let me repeat this in case you missed it: Sports are what you do, not who you are.
If you fall short of your goals, remind yourself that you aren’t defined by what you do. Your performance, in sports or in any area of life, can never define you.
You are defined by your character: Kindness, compassion, love, and care for others.
You are defined by God’s love for you, and this can never be taken away from you.
Every athlete will reach the day when the sport ends. Injury, age, or a change of seasons will come. When that time comes, your identity is not stripped away. The truest part of you remains: You will always be a deeply loved child of God.
13. Proverbs 24:17-18
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.
Winning feels good.
There’s nothing wrong with healthy competition. When we push each other to be our best, we all improve.
At the same time, I challenge you to change the way you see competition. There is a difference between competing against others and competing with others.
When we compete against others, we try to beat them because we want to feel good about ourselves. When we compete with others, we focus on doing our best, allowing healthy competition to push us harder. Both parties walk away feeling accomplished because they have pushed one another to be better.
Compete with others so that you both become better versions of yourselves.
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14. Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
When you feel nervous about competing, remember God is with you. He will give you strength and help you. He will uphold you and guide you.
Allow sports to help you become more dependent upon God and more engaged with him.
15. Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
We all face times in life when we need to be strong and courageous. The next time you feel anxious about performing well, speak this verse. God is with you. He wants to use this experience to help you grow stronger by leaning on him.
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These Bible verses for athletes have given us a lot to think about today. If you were encouraged by these words, I invite you to explore our family devotionals below and library of free devotional eBooks below. Keep pressing into God and let him use sports to shape you into his image.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God
Set Free: Let God Do What You Cannot explores ten realms in which most of us need God to work in our lives and bring deliverance. We’ll talk about finding freedom from fear, worry, insecurity, bad habits, emotional pain, and more. This short online devotional will bless you as you let God accomplish what you’ve been unable to achieve through willpower. Get your download for free with promo code GRACE right here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here! 
