At just 17, snowboarder Chloe Kim made riding the halfpipe look easy—landing back-to-back 1080s and grabbing a gold medal in the 2018 Olympics while tweeting about wanting ice cream. She became one of the youngest snowboarding gold medalists ever.
Today, Chloe has three Olympic medals in women’s halfpipe: gold in 2018, gold in 2022, and silver in 2026. She’s also a multiple-time World Champion and an eight-time X Games gold medalist, making her one of the most decorated athletes in snowboarding today.
But that kind of success demands a huge commitment. Chloe follows a year-round training routine that combines intense on-snow practice with off-snow conditioning. During the season, she spends hours honing her skills in the halfpipe. Off the snow, she does strength training, core work, plyometrics, and cardio to build power and endurance.
Impressive, right? But here’s the question: What are you training for?
A Higher Goal
Winning Olympic gold medals takes remarkable focus and commitment, but the apostle Paul tells us there is a loftier goal to pursue: godliness.
Listen to what he says: “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).
Do you get what he’s saying? He’s telling us that in the big scheme of things, being a top-tier athlete only gets you so far. It might win you fans, money, and fame, but only in this world. As Christians, you and I know there is more to life than snowboard tricks and gold medals: We have the opportunity to live forever—with Jesus!
Let this sink in: Spiritual exercise and growth are way more important than physical exercise.
Wait, Working Out Doesn’t Matter?
Nope. I didn’t say that. You should absolutely take care of your physical health. Get up early. Eat wisely. Lift weights. Go running. Get lots of sleep. Do your best. Enjoy being young and strong and healthy.
But remember, you are not just doing it to look good in selfies or win the game. You are practicing good health habits to honor your Creator. Your body is the temple of God, so make it the best place possible for Him to dwell.
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Think about it: What is your motivation for being healthy?
Better Than a Gold Medal
Paul’s point (and the one that you and I need to remember) is this: We have a prize to win that is infinitely more valuable than an Olympic gold.
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12, emphasis mine).
Winning the spiritual race means gaining eternal life with our best friend, Jesus. There is nothing more valuable we could strive for than that!
Spiritual Athletes
Just like athletes practice their sport in order to win, we need to practice godliness in order to win the eternal life race. Godliness means becoming like Jesus—loving toward others, wise to discern between right and wrong, strong to choose holiness, filled with the Holy Spirit, humbly dependent on God, and powerful in His strength. Those characteristics don’t grow automatically. Just like elite athletes, we need a divine Coach, a systematic workout plan, high-quality fuel, a winning team, and plenty of self-discipline.
- A divine Coach: Olympic athletes don’t prep solo for the big games. Experienced coaches put them through physical and mental workouts designed to help them be their absolute best. You and I can’t prep solo either. We need a guide. That’s exactly what Jesus promised us: “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit isn’t just our spiritual advisor. If we are willing, He actually lives in us and empowers us to live and work for God. It’s like having a coach who is also your best friend and your internal power source.
- A systematic workout plan: Elite athletes exercise like it’s their job. They hit the gym for hours a day and practice their sport with dedication and focus. As Christians, we need to be just as dedicated to getting spiritual exercise that will make us strong and capable. That means prioritizing the things that help us to grow strong spiritual muscles: prayer, Bible study, serving others, fasting, witnessing, and self-denial. It means choosing to obey God even when you’d rather not. Exercising faith when everything seems dark. Standing for the right when no one else will.
- High-Quality Fuel: The best athletes know that eating well helps them perform at their best and recover quickly. The same is true of Christians. Spiritual nutrition comes from filling our minds with truth. Bible study, memorizing and meditating on Scripture, good books, biblical sermons—these are the things that will fuel your spiritual life and give you the ability to discern between right and wrong and the strength to choose the right.
- A Winning Team: Top athletes know that the right teammates can make all the difference. The same is true for you as a Christian. You need godly teammates who are also practicing to win the eternal prize. So, seek out friends who love God and train together. Don’t know where to find godly friends? That’s where church comes in. God designed the church to be a place for His team members to support one another and work together to share their faith.
- Self-Discipline: No athlete rises to the top without practicing self-discipline. There are plenty of times when they would rather sleep in or goof off, but they choose to do the hard thing instead. Jesus says the same will be true of all who follow Him: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).
Sponsored by Heaven
Worried that your grades might suffer or that money will be tight if you put God first in everything? You can relax. As a spiritual athlete, you are sponsored by heaven itself: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
ALL. YOUR. NEEDS. That pretty well covers it!
Chloe Kim trains year-round for gold that lasts a moment. You can train for a crown that lasts forever. Every prayer, every act of obedience, every choice to stand for what’s right is part of your spiritual workout. Don’t underestimate small, daily faithfulness. Heaven notices. And one day, the reward will be worth it all.
And God has promised that He will be with you every step of the way: “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Need more guidance on how to grow spiritually? Check out this article.