Football and Fasting
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me.”
– 1 Corinthians 15:10
What does a college football national championship have to do with fasting, faith, and obedience to God? More than you might think. In this episode of the Delay and Pray Podcast, I share how an unexpected football season stirred my heart, challenged my loyalties, and revealed a deeper spiritual truth about discipline, suffering, and God’s timing. If you’ve ever wondered whether your daily efforts – especially the unseen ones – really matter to God, this episode is for you.
Using the improbable rise of Indiana University football and Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, I connect the dots between athletic discipline and spiritual fasting. What looked impossible on paper became reality through obedience, humility, motivation rooted in love, and faith in Jesus Christ. This story isn’t really about football at all – it’s about how God works through suffering, perseverance, and quiet fidelity to bring about miracles, often when no one expects them.
In this episode, we explore the parallels between championship-level sports training and spiritual fasting, the role of suffering as a motivator, the power of faith-filled discipline, and how fasting for others participates in God’s grace. This is a reminder that when we surrender our hunger, our pride, and our timelines to God, He does extraordinary things – always for His glory and our sanctification.
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