Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins understands that following Jesus will cost him, but he willingly makes that decision anyways.
“There’s a difference between being a fan of Jesus and being a follower of Jesus,” Cousins said in a video shared by Christhlete. “And that to disciple a follower is to be fully devoted, and to be fully devoted means that you’re putting in work, that you’re wanting to grow, that you’re making sacrifices, and that when culture goes one way, and Jesus goes the other, you’ve got to go with Jesus, even if that costs you something.”
The athlete recalled a question he was challenged with at a young age: “Are you prepared to follow Jesus even when it costs you something?”
“When all your friends in high school or college on a Friday night are going to go do one thing, and you know that to follow Jesus means you got to go another way, are you going to do that, or are you just going to go with your friends?” Cousins continued.
“And I made that decision at 16, 17 years old, when I said, you know what, I think I’m going to follow Jesus even when it costs me something, and that’s when you truly are giving Him your life because you’re really now sacrificing something to follow Jesus,” the 38-year-old said.
This season marks Cousins’ fifteenth in the NFL. This year is his first with the Las Vegas Raiders. In the season opener, Cousins reached 301 career touchdown passes.
According to the Raiders, his season totals are 16 touchdowns, five interceptions, 1,877 yards and a 97.37 passer rating.
Cousins wasn’t the clear QB1 pick during training camp this summer. He was competing for the spot alongside Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Cousins loved the fact that there was competition, because it reminded him that God ultimately guides his career.
“It’s helped to recognize who owns my football career,” Cousins said on the “Sports Spectrum” podcast, “and I use the word ‘my’ loosely. Once I’ve come to the realization that I’m a steward and it’s my job to steward this football career and this football journey — which means that I need to give great effort, I need to prepare well, I need to lead well, I need to build relationships, there’s plenty for me to do as a steward. But it also frees you up to not stress about things…The first thing to do in being a steward is to surrender.”
“Wherever you end up playing, you are sent by God, and He has a purpose for you being there,” he added.
Whether he’s taking snaps or sitting on the sideline, Cousins shows that true faith means surrendering his career to God and trusting that wherever he lands, he was sent there for a purpose.
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