Who You Are Becoming

“Be more enamored with who you are becoming rather than what you are doing.”- Mitchell Dean (FCA)

It is so easy to be engrossed in whatever you are “doing.” 

To be caught in the cycle of striving to succeed. 

But what happens when that job, hobby, or activity is gone?

A lot of my friends are going through a similar season of life as I am, as we embark on adulthood and no longer are playing a college sport. I hope these words can encourage you in some way and spur you on to love…

Hustle culture is the new norm in our society. Obviously, college athletes know the drill.

Our schedules were so packed with workouts, practice, recovery, class, homework, film, etc. that we didn’t really know what rest truly felt like. 

It’s the same in the real world though. Wake up early to workout before work. Eat your weight in protein. Overwork yourself to burnout, but make sure you get your 10,000 steps in! 

We are taught to obsess over what we are “doing,” and we pride ourselves in our work and our achievements. 

Wins, championships and trophies are indications of success in sports. Raises, promotions, and recognition are signs of achievement in the workplace.

But what happens when that job, hobby, or activity is gone? Or, what happens when those things don't satisfy? Because they don't and they won't.

Like most Christian athletes, I struggled with making my sport an idol. I had to re-surrender volleyball to the Lord daily or else pride would creep in. 

Letting go of volleyball was easier than I imagined, but not having a “passion” to continue to pursue was much harder than I expected. 

I finished my masters and then immediately started looking for a job.

The Lord led me to work at a high school as a Bible teacher and assistant varsity coach. I spent most of my days pouring out for these young girls, and although it was tiring, I did enjoy it!

However, my definition of “success” was altered. 

There weren't as many tasks on my to do list to check off like there were in college. 

There weren’t physical goals I was striving for like there were while playing volleyball.

Yes, I wanted my team to win games.

Yes, I wanted to become a better coach and teacher everyday.

But, there was a huge shift from “doing” to “becoming.”

I no longer could be labeled a college athlete. 

My career didn’t necessarily matter anymore. 

The awards, trophies, and championships were of the past. 

But who I had become, and who I was becoming remained. 

Colossians 3:23 says, "whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." God loves a good work ethic when you have the right heart posture but, He puts more of an emphasis on becoming all that He has made you to be.

Ephesians 5:1-2 "Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

“Be more enamored with who you are becoming rather than what you are doing.”- Mitchell Dean

My FCA brother, Mitchell Dean, said this on a zoom call recently. These were the words I was looking for to remind me of what really matters.  

I don’t have much that I am “doing.”

I am currently working part time for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes while I battle my Lupus flare ups. 

Although there is a lot of work to be done in ministry, it is truly God who is the one “doing.”

We are trusting, surrendering, & showing up. 

What is God teaching you?

What character traits is He helping you grow?

What do you struggle with?

What does the Bible say about who we should become?

What we "DO" shouldn't define us, whose and who we are should.

My prayer is that I will celebrate all that God is doing, focus on what He is teaching me and who I am becoming! I hope you do the same!

Give Em’ Heaven,

Delaney Burnett