Jeremy Lin Doesn't Want His Knee Rehab to Become Bigger Priority Than God
Jeremy Lin is making major strides following his knee surgery, but the Brooklyn Nets point guard wants to make sure that his rehabilitation process isn't getting in the way of his relationship with God.
In an email sent to his digital prayer group last week titled, "Jeremy Lin Prayer Requests 35" the Nets guard revealed that he is now walking without crutches following his knee surgery in October. When asking for people to pray for his knee, he also spoke about the importance of keeping his priorities in order.
"I'd also like to praise God and thank you guys for all the prayers regarding my knee. Things have been quite positive so far," he wrote. "Please continue to pray that my knee and body recovers well, and that my mind doesn't allow rehab to become a bigger priority than Christ. That's always a temptation whenever I approach a big challenge -- that I lose sight of prioritizing God as #1."
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This is not the first time that Lin has asked people to pray that he keep God above his athletic pursuits. In the 32nd prayer request email written to his digital prayer group in September, Lin revealed that he has struggled with turning basketball into an idol.
"I find myself feeling a wide range of emotions from feeling unsure of what's going to happen (stemming from last year's injury-ridden season) to feeling very driven to succeed (and thereby making my basketball performance an idol which has been an achilles heel of mine in the past) to feeling very joyful for this opportunity to go out and play again," Lin wrote when the season began. "Please pray that I would just focus my heart solely on God and be so obsessed with Him that everything else in the world seems so insignificant. I really want to have a laser-focus on Jesus this season!"
More than just requesting that his followers pray for him, Lin also said he wanted to encourage people with things that he has been learning in his own faith walk.
"One thing that I've learned recently is to experience God more abundantly in prayer. I should come as I am and connect with God," Lin wrote. "I don't need to pray in church lingo or with the most extravagant vocabulary. I just need to come as I am because He loves me as I am."
The athlete said he found his prayers to be more engaging when he addresses God as "dad."
"I'm someone who says 'God' throughout my prayer, but I'm actively trying to replace it with 'Dad.' It's helped me feel deeper relationship and constantly reminds me that prayer is just talking to God," Lin said. "There's no magical words or formula. He just wants time and relationship with me!! As a result, I've found my prayers to be more natural, vulnerable and engaging!"
