Nick Foles is not your typical sports interview spitting platitudes and jargon. His reaction to getting injured shows serious insight into human nature.
In simply sharing his personal experiences, he basically gave a real-world explanation of what the Apostle Paul was talking about in Philippians 4:12-13, where he knew how to live in hardships and in the good times because God gives the grace we need in both sets of circumstances.
“I don’t believe in the prosperity Gospel. I believe if you read the word of God and you understand it, there’s trials along the way but they equip your heart to be who you are.”
Watch @NickFoles preach the Gospel at his press conference today. pic.twitter.com/8vQaWXwpfL
— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) November 13, 2019
Here is what he said:
Right when I felt this thing break and I was going into the locker room I just realized you know I just realized God this isn’t exactly what I was thinking when I came to Jacksonville.
Obviously you come here and you want to create a culture and impact people.
That at the end of the day I said God if this is the journey you want me to go on I’m going to glorify you in every action good or bad and you know I still could have joy in an injury.
And people here that and say that’s crazy but when you believe in Jesus and you go out there and you play and you — and that changes your heart. And you only understand it when you know that purpose in your life.
Just like when I hosted the Lombardi trophy the reason you’re smiling is my faith is in Christ.
In that moment I realized I didn’t need that trophy to define who I was because I was already in Christ. And that’s my message when I play.
The same thing happens when I’m injured. We tend to make this so much about us, human beings. We had to make it about us as athletes. It’s not about us. It really isn’t.
If you make it about yourself you’re probably gonna go home at night, lay your head on your pillow and be very alone. And very sad. And then hopefully, someday, you can find that purpose in life. My purpose isn’t football, it’s impacting people. And my Ministry happens to be the locker room. And I’ve been able still to get to know people, get to know these guys through an injury.
So I might not be playing that is difficult from a fleshly perspective, but from a spiritual perspective, from my heart, I’ve been able to grow as a human being to where I feel like I’m in a better situation here as a person than I was before because of the trial I just went under.
And I know that’s a sermon in itself but that’s how I go through life. And the good Lord’s been there too you know? It’s not always about Prosperity I don’t believe in the Prosperity Gospel.
I believe that if you read the word of God, and you understand it, there’s trials along the way. But they equip your heart to be who you are, so when I stepped on the field I’m going against a man in Frank Reich who’s very similar.
He’s a guy I admire more than anything. He’s a guy that has impacted my life so much, and he’s going to be on the opposing sidelines, so that’s going to be fun.
Solid stuff. He’s got some good insights not just into the sport he plays, and his role on the team, but into human nature itself.
And just think, if he had never gotten that injury the rest of us wouldn’t be talking about these big ideas in this context now, would we?
Which kinda proves his point.
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