Playing Hurt: Lessons from Super Bowl LX

At this year’s Super Bowl, some players will inevitably end up "playing hurt." They get hit, they get back up, and they press on to win. As Christians, we can learn a lot from football players about the concept of playing hurt.

Minister Wayne Smith of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, inspired this article. I heard a sermon of his titled "Playing Hurt," which is one of the most requested of his career and can still be viewed on YouTube.  What follows are some of my thoughts on what we as Christians can learn from the gridiron.

The Price of the Prize

This year marks the 60th Super Bowl. Approximately one-third of America is expected to tune in, with the game drawing over 115 million viewers. The ultimate goal for any football player is to compete in this game and win the big Championship Ring.

Running with a football in the NFL and getting tackled is somewhat like being hit by a truck. We have all seen those hits; they have to hurt. However, the players get back up, shake it off, and move on to the next play. Despite their unbelievable conditioning, nearly all players will play hurt at some point. Sometimes they cannot simply shake it off; they must play through the pain.

Why do they do it? For some, it may be about money or fame, but most do it because they simply love the game.

The Reality of Life’s Tackles

Football players are not the only ones who play hurt. We, as Christians, play hurt as well. We do not get tackled on a field, but life often feels that way. We face physical, emotional, financial, and relational pain. No one gets a free pass.

Jesus told us that we would all face trials. He said in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble.” We should not be surprised when trouble comes, nor should we think we are the only ones facing it. Jesus told us to "take heart," for He has overcome the world. We can find hope and peace because the One who conquered the grave is with us.

Biblical Examples of Resilience

Jesus Himself played hurt. A close friend betrayed him.  He was rejected in His own hometown.  He grieved the execution of His cousin, John the Baptist.  He was beaten, whipped, spat upon, and endured the cruelest torture ever invented: the crucifixion.

The Apostle Paul also played hurt. Every time I consider Paul’s ordeals, I am inspired. In 2 Corinthians 11, he recounts being imprisoned frequently, flogged severely, and facing death several times. Five times he received 39 lashes; three times he was beaten with rods; once he was stoned and left for dead. He survived shipwrecks, hunger, and thirst—all while carrying the heavy burden of shepherding the churches he planted.

Paul is like an NFL player hit by a freight train who gets back up to continue his course for the Lord. He might walk with a limp, but his eyes are clear, and his goal is certain. His love for God was a fire that could not be extinguished. As he wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” In other words, Paul said, "I may be down, but thanks be to God, I’m not out!"

Legacies of Contentment and Joy

Christians throughout history have been hurt. Fanny Crosby, one of the greatest hymn writers of all time, was permanently blinded at six weeks old due to a medical error. Despite this, she chose to harbor no ill will toward the doctor, choosing instead to forgive.

She determined to accept her blindness as part of God’s will, stating, “Blindness cannot keep the sunlight of hope from the trustful soul.” She famously said, “Oh what a happy soul am I although I cannot see, I am resolved that in this world contented I shall be.” She believed that without her blindness, she might have been too distracted by the world to write the 8,000 hymns that eventually led countless souls to God.

I have seen this same spirit in a friend of mine named Barb. Despite undergoing dialysis three times a week, she "played hurt" with a look of joy, even taking prayer requests from other patients in the treatment center. Likewise, my friend Norm carried his oxygen tank onto the stage just to sing in the choir. He didn't let his struggle stop him from serving the Lord.

How and Why We Press On

We will all play hurt. The real questions are: How do we play hurt, and why?

The proven way to tackle pain is to face it with faith. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” We do not have to understand the "why" to acknowledge God and count on Him to guide us. Romans 8:28 reminds us “God works all things for the good for those who love Him.”

The Bible teaches that God does extraordinary things through our weaknesses. 1 Peter 5:10 says that after we have suffered a little while, God will restore us and make us strong. James 1:2-3 tells us to consider trials "pure joy" because the testing of faith produces perseverance. Just as fire strengthens a steel sword, trials strengthen our faith.  We gain a stronger, closer walk with God.  We gain confidence in what God can do.

How we press on then is by FAITH.

Why we press on is because we keep the goal in view.  Football players focus on the Super Bowl and the trophy. Our goal is to be champions for Christ. Eternity puts the Super Bowl to shame; a player can win a ring and still be lost, but serving the King of Kings brings a reward that lasts forever.

A Call to Courage

When you get hurt—and you will—what are you going to do? Perhaps you are hurting right now.

Whether or not you are a fan of football, the next time you see a highlight of a player taking a massive hit, watch them get back up. Watch them march toward their goal. We can press on too, because Jesus is with us always. Be of good courage; He has already overcome the world.