By Tim Tebow

Bible Gateway interviewed Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) about his book, This Is the Day: Reclaim Your Dream. Ignite Your Passion. Live Your Purpose. (WaterBrook, 2018).

[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, Discovering Your Identity in Life’s Storms: An Interview with Tim Tebow]

Many times, our opinion of God is affected by what other people have said to us, more than likely the same people that we probably shouldn’t have listened to in the first place.

I know what it feels like to be deeply disappointed by something someone said. Over the years, I’ve talked with different coaches and have been in meetings with different general managers who’ve assured me, in their own words, “Tim, I’ve got your back. And I’m going to fight for you.” But when it was crunch time, their words were meaningless. They didn’t have my back. And they certainly didn’t fight for me.

You may have had a similar experience of someone saying one thing and doing another.

This can be discouraging. It’s just as hurtful as when someone says something negative right to your face. This reminds me of when I attended an Atlanta Thrashers hockey game after winning the Heisman Trophy. I was enjoying the game and the company of some of my siblings, when all of a sudden I looked up and realized I was on the jumbotron. The crowd went nuts. And not in a good way. Thousands of fans erupted in that stadium, pointing at me on the screen and chanting—in unison—a very colorful (and not in a good way) four-letter word with my name. The place became a madhouse. So much chaos ensued around us, in fact, that security swooped down near our seats and ushered us to a different section. From an outside perspective, one could say that everyone in that space hated me. What’s funny, though, is that after the game, I was bombarded with requests for selfies and autographs. What’s up with that?

Whether people are negative to us directly or behind our backs, in words or actions, we have to remember that what God says about us is always more important. Always. What He says matters more than criticism, more than lies, more than the taunts of a bully, more than false accusations, more than any hate-filled words hurled at us.

It may be difficult to trust God after being broken, rejected, betrayed, or gossiped about. The negative voices of the past can overpower what God says about us. But we cannot let what others have said or done taint his truth. God is trustworthy. The psalmist wrote, “O my people, trust in him [God] at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8). We can read the Bible and trust God’s promises. We can trust his plan and his purpose for our lives. It’s important to be encouraged by others and even encourage ourselves, but the most uplifting and life-changing encouragement we will ever get comes from God alone.

Three times while Jesus was on earth, God spoke out of heaven affirming his love for his Son, Jesus, and endorsing him on his mission. Jesus was able to endure tremendous suffering for the sake of others because he listened to the voice of his Father. Today, God’s voice can give you the confidence you need to endure life’s challenges.

Make This Your Day

When you choose to live based on what God says and not what others say, you can live with confidence. You can live secure. You can live knowing he loves you, he cares for you, he has a plan for you, and he has a purpose for your life.

You can trust God’s voice!

Here are some Bible verses that have helped remind me of what God says about me. I pray they encourage you as well.

• God made me wonderfully complex and marvelous. (See Psalm 139:14)
• I am a child of God. (See Galatians 3:26)
• I am God’s masterpiece. (See Ephesians 2:10)
• God’s hand is always on me. (See Psalm 139:5)
• As a child of God, I am a special treasure. (See Exodus 19:5)
• God loves me with an unfailing love. (See Jeremiah 31:3)
• I am chosen by God. (See 1 Thessalonians 1:4)

Excerpted from This Is the Day: Reclaim Your Dream. Ignite Your Passion. Live Your Purpose. Copyright © 2018 by Timothy R. Tebow. Published by WaterBrook, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, on September 25.

Bio: Tim Tebow is a two-time national champion, first round NFL draft pick, and Heisman trophy winner. After playing in the NFL for the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets, Tebow joined the SEC Network. In addition to his role on SEC Nation, the network’s traveling road show, Tebow also contributes to a variety of other ESPN platforms. In 2016 he signed a professional baseball contract with the New York Mets. Through everything Tim’s true passion remains the work of the Tim Tebow Foundation, which he began in 2010. The foundation’s mission is to bring Faith, Hope, and Love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. The foundation is fulfilling that mission every day by serving thousands of deserving children around the world.

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