Pressure is a big part of athletics. There’s pressure to join a team or perform at a certain level. And there’s pressure from coaches and teammates to win. These days pressure is considered a necessary and normal part of the game. But this burden can be lifted with a clearer view of God as the source of all energy, strength, and wisdom.

As a coach and athlete, Christian Science has been an indispensable tool for me in overcoming pressure and maintaining my enthusiasm for sports.

During my high school track career, I prepared for meets by not only doing the appropriate workout, but by praying to understand the spiritual qualities I was hoping to express. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, wrote: “If God is the Principle of man (and He is), man is the idea of God; and this idea cannot fail to express the exact nature of its Principle,—any more than goodness, to present the quality of good” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896, p. 78). As God’s reflection, we have divine authority to express the exact nature of our Law-maker. This nature includes qualities such as: strength, courage, meekness, humility, and precision.

I spent a lot of time praying with the quality humility. The Bible says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” I cherished this concept of letting my light shine—the light that comes directly from God. It helped me understand that my only job was to express God’s qualities so purely that the real source, untainted by pressure, would be clearly seen.

This dispelled feelings of burden or stress that might influence my thought by telling me everything was on my shoulders. With the pressure out of the picture, I could focus on raising my competitive level and overcoming physical limitations that seemed to challenge me.

I remember one district track competition when my prayers before the meet equipped me to handle a potentially high-pressure situation. I was competing in the two-mile event—a race that was familiar to me. But there was a lot at stake because I needed to finish in first or second place to qualify for the state meet.

We lined up on the track under a steady rainfall and the gun cracked, signaling the beginning of the race. But four laps into the eight lap race, the starting gun was fired again, this time signaling the runners to stop. The official announced that the event had to be postponed due to thunder and lightning. As a result, the four laps we’d already run would be cancelled. When the weather cleared up we would all start again, as if the race had just begun.

As we waited I began to think, I’ve already warmed up and physically prepared for this race one time. Is it really fair for us to start over from the beginning and run an additional eight laps? But I refused to let a feeling of pressure and fear build in my thought. Instead of getting caught up in the stress that others were feeling, I continued to focus on what I wanted to achieve when the race re-started. I recognized that because God’s supply of energy is limitless and unconditional, so was mine.

This was an opportunity to glorify God, and He wouldn’t provide a minimal amount of energy to last for only eight laps! When I returned to the starting line I felt complete freedom from any pressure that might otherwise have weighed down my thought—and consequently affected my performance. In the end I completed the eight laps with a first place finish. This victory allowed me to advance to the state championship.

This experience has served as a useful reminder for me when dealing with pressure in various athletic pursuits. Regardless of the level of competition—whether it’s been the Junior Olympic Games, a varsity tryout, a state competition, or Division I athletics—I’ve remained focused on one true goal: glorifying God. A deeper understanding of my identity as His reflection has released me from pressure as a coach and an athlete. It’s also taught me that burden can’t be connected with activities that express God-given qualities like joy and freedom.

Today, as I prepare for and compete in triathlons, I still turn to God as my source of energy and agility. Staying in shape, practicing technique, and understanding tactics are important and natural in the pursuit of athletics and in striving to exceed physical limits. But when we exercise our spiritual fitness on a daily basis, we feel the calm trust that God is in control—taking the pressure out of athletics.

God-given qualities:

Science and Health
475:13

King James Bible
Matt. 5:16