Suffering a gift? How can that be?

Today we continue our pursuit of informing and inspiring sports ministers as well as athletes, coaches and all who desire to integrate faith and sport. We do this by focusing on the official and technical sporting words that are found in the Bible. Today’s word may be the most significant of them all: Agon!

One of the verses where Agon can be found is in the letter the Apostle Paul was inspired to write to the church in the Greek city of Philippi. In that letter, Paul is explaining that he is in the midst of some heavy persecution for his faith and indicates to the Philippians that the Agon or... “conflict” he and they are suffering is a gift (something that is granted)! Seriously? Suffering is a gift? In the same way that the

exhaustion and even aching muscles of athletic training enables a win in sport, spiritual “conflict & suffering” must be seen as a gift as they empower spiritual growth and maturation!

Action point: reflect today on how and why God has gifted you with suffering!