When God has a plan for your life—and you desire it—nothing can stop it. Not your
inexperience, lack of connections, education, finances, or the judgment of others.
As a former Super Bowl champion, I like to say this: If you’re willing to get in the game with
God, He’ll get in the game with you and take you to the end zone every time.
But believe it or not, there was a time when I didn’t want to get in the game.
It was my rookie year with the Green Bay Packers. My family and I were thrilled when I was
drafted in the seventh round. But once I joined the team and saw the level of talent and
intensity, fear set in. This wasn’t college football anymore. There, I’d been a standout; here,
I felt completely out of my league.
I was relieved when I didn’t make the roster for the first game. Standing on the sidelines
felt safe. I didn’t have to worry about getting hit, making mistakes, or embarrassing myself
on national television. It actually felt almost comfortable. I could work out with the team,
help get them ready for the game, and still get a paycheck. Not a bad deal. I could do that
forever.
When my parents asked why I wasn’t playing, I blamed the coach. But the truth was, I’d lost
my confidence.
I was surrounded by legends, and none of my college accolades seemed to matter anymore.
My coach reinforced my doubts, and his words replayed constantly in my mind: You don’t
belong here.
A few games into the season, the coach told me I might play that night. Panic set in. I wasn’t
ready—I hadn’t even hydrated. Several guys were ahead of me on the roster, though, so I

played it cool. But one by one, three linemen were injured, and suddenly it was my turn.
This wasn’t just any game—it was a prime-time matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, led
by Brett Favre.
Instead of thanking God, I questioned Him—Why are You doing this to me? But God didn’t
give me all that talent to keep me on the sidelines.
I wish I could tell you that I tore it up on the field. But I didn’t. I missed plays, fell down, and
floundered around on the ground. It was terrible, especially when I saw my mistakes
replayed on the big screen.
The coach screamed from the sidelines. His voice was a reminder of what I already knew—I
didn’t belong on that field.
But then, one of my teammates ran to the sidelines and said, “Coach, quit yelling at him. Just
let him play.” Then, this player came back on the field, looked me in the eyes, and said, “CJ,
you can do this.” His belief in me stirred emotions I hadn’t felt in some time—confidence
and hope.
I took a moment to pray, “God, You allowed me to go to college, and You put me here in the
NFL. Now, I need You to help me perform. If You don’t, it’s over for me.” I was one bad play
from being let go.
Asking God to guide my life on and off the field had been a regular thing when I was in
college. Faith was central to my life. But in the NFL, I’d somehow forgotten to rely on God
and seek His help, focusing more on my doubts and insecurities than on the faithfulness
and strength of the God who was for me (Romans 8:31).
As I lined up again, confidence returned. I can do this! I can do all things through Christ who
gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).
The next play, I broke through the line, tackled Brett Favre, and forced an interception that
led to a touchdown and a victory. I led the team in tackles that night.

That moment changed the game—and my life. It reignited my faith, confidence, and passion
for the game and sparked a new, intense desire within me to be the best I could be. From
that night forward, I did whatever it took in practice to sharpen my craft. I wanted to be
remembered as a player of integrity and passion.
That season ended with me starting in the Super Bowl and earning a championship ring.
But more importantly, I learned that life is better when you’re in the game.
I’m so thankful God pulled me out of my comfort zone and put me on the field, even though
I didn’t feel equipped or deserving. I’m also glad I listened to my teammate’s
encouragement and found the courage to line up and play.
Had I stayed on the sidelines, I would’ve missed seven incredible years in the NFL and
many life-changing experiences, including meeting my wife. Fear would have kept me from
far more than football.
Are you tempted to stay on the sidelines of life? Fear, shame, insecurity, guilt—many things
can keep us there. But staying sidelined costs us God’s plans for victory in our lives
(Jeremiah 29:11), and it hurts others who need what God has placed in us.
God does sometimes place us on the sidelines for a season to give us instruction or maybe
time to rest, heal, or prepare—but hiding out there in fear is different. Satan is the author of
fear, not God (2 Timothy 1:7). Satan wants to sideline you so you miss God’s redemption
story (John 10:10). Don’t let him.
Tell every voice of fear, doubt, and insecurity to be silent and replace those negative
thoughts with God’s truth about you (2 Corinthians 10:5). You do belong. You are worth it.
And there is still hope. Here’s another thought: your loved ones need you on the field; their
victories depend on it too. God created us all with abilities and allows us to have various
experiences so that we can help one another get up and persevere to victory. We need each
other.
Maybe your past mistakes have you feeling unworthy. Let me tell you something—no one
plays a perfect game, not even the greats. Failure isn’t the issue; what you do next is. Will

you learn from your failure and try again? Or will you give up and forfeit God’s plan for
you?
You might think God doesn’t want you on His team because you’ve wasted your life and His
blessings. All you have to do is read the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32, and
you’ll see that is never the case. I know from experience that God redeems us from our
failures.
I squandered my God-given opportunities in high school so badly that my poor academic
performance almost made it so I didn’t get to play college football. I didn’t have learning
challenges; I simply cared more about making jokes and cutting up than listening and
studying. I didn’t have the grades to get into any college.
I was so ashamed of myself, and knowing I couldn’t stay at home, I prepared to enlist in the
military. But the night before I did that, I asked God to forgive me for wasting His blessings.
And then, I made a simple request, “God, if You still want me on that field, please make a
way.”
A recruiter from East Carolina University (ECU) called the next day to say they wanted me
and would help me improve my grades by getting me tutors. Not only that, they offered me
a full-ride scholarship. Only God could do that.
He is the God of another chance, even when we don’t deserve one. He’s more concerned
with who we can become than what we’ve done—and that includes you. You only need to
confess your sins and ask for His forgiveness (1 John 1:9), learn from your mistakes, and
then press on to victory with Him (Philippians 3:12–14).
You might be thinking you are too far gone, too far beyond repair for God or anyone else to
want you. You might even be deciding that there’s no reason for you to keep playing. All I
can say is, none of that is true.
I have been in games when we were so far behind that our fans left the stadium before
halftime. Talk about humiliation!

Frustrated and discouraged players kicked over coolers and yelled in defeat, “This was
supposed to be our year!” They not only felt they’d lost the game, but their future hope of a
championship title as well.
But our coach encouraged us, “Guys, it’s not over! There is still time on the clock. Believe in
yourselves, you can win!” And often, he was right.
Perhaps my favorite comeback story is when ECU was playing Old Southern Mississippi. It
was the final minute of the game. Southern Miss scored a touchdown and was about to
secure the victory with the extra point. But then, something amazing happened.
I blocked the kick, recovered the ball, and ran it back for two points. That win propelled
ECU to become the conference champs.
God has written a comeback story for you, too. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes you’ve
made, how much of your life you’ve squandered, or how far behind or outnumbered you
are. The Master Coach always has a play up His sleeve that can turn your whole life around.
So what are you waiting for? God is calling your number—it’s time to take to the field.

Consider: What’s keeping you sidelined? What opportunities and talents have you
squandered? How does it feel to know that it’s never too late for God to call your number?
Do you have a God-powered comeback story that encourages you in low moments?

CJ WILSON retired in 2017 after a successful seven-year career in the NFL. Today, when he isn’t with his wife and three children, CJ is coaching high school football, mentoring his
nephews in the sport, and sharing the lessons from the gridiron and his faith in prison with the Victorious Living team.