By Mallory Mattingly
Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud knows that suffering is part of life but also that God uses it to draw us closer to Him.
The quarterback read Philippians 1:29 (KJV) while speaking at the Annual Global Humanitarian Awards, which says, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”
“So, when I think about this foundation and my mother’s trailblaze for not only just myself but for our family, for our community,” he said of his CJ Stroud Foundation which his mother, Kimberly Stroud, leads, “I think about the sufferings that we’ve gone through. It’s not only something that the Lord Jesus preached about but also something that’s in the fruit of the Spirit, and I think suffering is beautiful. Suffering, I believe, is the reason why we’re sitting here today, and that’s the reason why we have the heart we do.”
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Stroud then referenced Ezekiel 36:26: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”
“Suffering — the people who have lost people to cancer, the people who have parents who have been incarcerated, the people who have gone through whatever this life goes through — these are the reasons why we’re here today,” he continued. “That’s why we do what we do because that stone heart becomes flesh in those moments. And so I’m just grateful for the suffering, not only the suffering that people don’t see, the suffering that people also do.”
“My brother said, ‘Of course, you know, the last game didn’t go the way I wanted it to.’ Of course, I mean, I wish I had played better, but I’m okay with suffering in front of people because I know somebody’s going to see how I respond,” Stroud continued. “We’re all going to go through bad days. We’re all going to have bad moments. I’m going to have bad plays. I’m going to have bad games. But my response needs to be in humility and joy, gratitude, because I see my Savior — I didn’t see Him — but I know my Savior was on the cross for me. He suffered for us.”
Stroud concluded his message with one thing: “In our suffering, continue to rely on the Lord. Abide in Him, and He will take you farther than you ever could imagine.”
The Annual Global Humanitarian Awards honor “changemakers and philanthropists worldwide who exemplify compassion, leadership, and service to humanity,” per their Instagram bio.
Kimberly was honored at the ceremony, thanks to her dedication to advancing “youth empowerment and family support initiatives that provide educational resources, life-skills development, and opportunities for underserved communities” through the CJ Stroud Foundation.
Though suffering is certain, we can take heart knowing Christ suffered for us and empowers us to glorify Him through those times.
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