Can you imagine the pressures that Olympic athletes face?  Many of them train for years leading up to an event that sometimes lasts for a few seconds.  All of their training and sacrifices lead up to a moment when their skills are put to the test.  If they mess up – even just a little bit – they might go home empty-handed.  That is a lot of pressure!

How do they deal with that intense stress?

Consider two men, David Boudia and Steele Johnson, who trained for years to compete in the Men’s synchronized 10m platform in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.  The way they performed in this event earlier this week earned them a silver medal!

In an interview following their silver medal performance, Boudia and Johnson reiterated what helped keep them grounded in preparation for the competition.  Here is part of a transcript of their remarks:

NBC Reporter Kelli Stavast: “What does it mean to come out and medal here in the synchro event?”

David Boudia: “Yeah, I just think the past week, there’s just been an enormous amount of pressure, and I’ve felt it.  You know, it’s just an identity crisis.  When my mind is on this, thinking I’m defined by this, then my mind goes crazy, but we both know our identity is in Christ.

“And we’re just, we’re thankful for this opportunity to be able to dive in front of Brazil, in front of the United States, and it’s been an absolutely thrilling moment for us.”

NBC Reporter Kelli Stavast: “Well, and Steele, for you, your first ever Olympic event, how were you able to maintain your composure so well?”

Steele Johnson: “I think the way David just described it was flawless.  The fact that I was going into this event knowing that my identity is rooted in Christ and not what the result of this competition is just gave me peace.  It gave me ease, and it let me enjoy the contest.  If something went great, I was happy.  If something didn’t go great, I could still find joy because I’m at the Olympics competing with the best person, the best mentor, just one of the best people to be around.  So, God’s given us a cool opportunity, and I’m glad I could’ve come away with an Olympic silver medal in my first ever event.”

Did you catch that?  “My identity is rooted in Christ,” not in “the result of this competition.”

Friends, that’s exactly where we ALL need to find our identity: in Christ!

The reason: we all mess up, we fail.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  If we try to find our identity based upon how well we perform, we are going to identify ourselves as dismal failures headed for destruction.

But God loves us so much that He wants each of us to have a new identity: that we are His children, cleansed by the blood of Jesus His Son, and on our way to an eternal home in heaven.  To enable us to have this new identity God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).

God will give this new identity to those who will place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess His name before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7).

Then, with or without medals, we can have joy, peace, salvation, and the hope of eternal life because of who we are in Christ!

Won’t YOU find your identity in Christ by submitting your life to Him today?

-- David A. Sargent

Sources: “US Olympic Divers Following Silver Medal Performance: ‘Our Identity Is in Christ’” by Michael Morris, August 9, 2016.  www.cbsnews.com and www.NBCOlympics.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister