How a High School Injury Taught Kirk Cousins to Trust God
By Movieguide® Contributor
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins learned to trust God’s plan after a high school injury threatened his hopes of a college football career.
“I remember my very first game playing varsity football. I mean, this is my dream, right? The dream was to play in the Big Ten and play college football. Never really even thought about the pros being an option, but varsity football I knew was more of a realistic goal,” Cousins told TBN. “And my very first game in varsity football my junior year, I broke my ankle and missed much of that season. And I remember, you know, telling my dad that now I won’t be able to play college football. Kind of complaining and blaming the Lord that He would allow this to happen.”
He continued, “You know those early in your Christian walk when you’re immature. And my dad said, ‘Kirk, you don’t know what the Lord has planned. He’s so much bigger than a broken ankle. You gotta remember the truth of His world.'”
His dad reminded him of Proverbs 3: 5-6, which says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
“And so at that moment, I said, ‘I’m going to take that verse to heart and believe it. And let the Lord direct my steps. It’ll be my job to trust him and to obey him, and we’ll see where he takes this thing,'” he remembered.
God led Cousins to Michigan State University, “where he helped the Spartans win a share of the Big Ten title in 2010, and played in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game in 2011. Kirk is only the second three-time captain in MSU football history. Kirk graduated from MSU with a degree in Kinesiology, and also received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities upon returning to deliver the keynote address at the spring class of 2019 commencement ceremony.”
He was then drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. With a slow start in the Washington organization, Cousins would eventually find his rhythm and become a Pro Bowl quarterback in 2017.
Soon after, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, where he would become their starting quarterback.
Cousins was the favorite for this past NFL season, but he tore his Achilles tendon and missed much of the season. Movieguide® reported:
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is trusting God with his career after sustaining a season-ending Achilles tendon tear on Oct. 29.
In a press conference, Cousins said, “I so appreciate all the well wishes I’ve received from people. You don’t quite know how many people are in your corner and how many people are praying for you and cheering you on until something like this happens.”
“I’m excited to write the next chapter and see what God wants to do with it, whatever it may be,” he added. “I’ve just kind of been reminded again that my career, it’s not my career. It’s His career that I steward, and I’ve just gotta surrender myself and let Him lead where He wants to go. And when that’s a torn Achilles, I have to accept it just as much as if it’s a win on MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL.”
