Falcons running back Nathan Carter believes there is always a choice to draw closer to God or further away from Him.
“’When life hurts, we immediately find ourselves at an internal fork in the road,” Carter quoted Dane Ortlund. “’Either we take the road of cynicism, withdrawing from openheartedness with God and others, retreating into the felt safety of holding back our desires and longings, lest they get hurt again, or we press into greater depth with God than we have ever known.’”
We can scorn God or dive deeper into his teachings, Ortland said. But there is no comfort in turning away from Him.
“’The two circles of professed theology and heart theology, to that point distinct, are forced either to move farther away than ever or to perfectly overlap,’” Ortlund said. “’Either we put all our weight on our theology, or we let our hearts calcify and harden. Either we let the divine physician continue the operation, or we insist on being wheeled out of the operating room. But pain does not let us go on as before.’”
Carter, a 24-year-old man of great faith, often shares spiritual insights with his social media followers. Last month, he reflected on the importance of allegiance to God. Those who have allegiance to Him understand who God is and submit to His will over their lives.
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“These are people who completely reorient their allegiance to Jesus Christ, and Jesus is their main priority over everything, because nothing in life is better than having Christ,” the athlete wrote. These are not perfect people, but saved people.”
Whatever accomplishment Carter achieves, he credits it all to God, always.
“He is the reason why I have breath in my lungs. He deserves all my worship,” Carter said.
He’s been in tough and disheartening situations, but through it all, he always puts his trust in God.
“Maybe you’re in an impossible situation and on the verge of quitting. What I do know and can testify to is that the Lord is faithful. We’re reminded that God’s timing is perfect, and when we think all is lost and are tempted to give up and walk in a different direction, He is there, right on time,” he said.
Because of his faith in God, he doesn’t feel a lot of pressure to perform perfectly when he plays.
He previously said, “I play so free on the field. God didn’t place me here just to play football. There’s a much more greater purpose that I have …If I don’t [gain] X amount of yards or I don’t score X amount of touchdowns, God doesn’t love me any more or any less. He loves me already.”
Carter is doing a wonderful and much-needed ministry in sports by sharing his faith openly.
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