Pro Surfer Reminds Us ‘God Is Good All of the Time!’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Surfer Bethany Hamilton is sharing an encouraging message of faith for anyone struggling.
“Whoever needs to hear this… God has the world in the palm of his hand. Sooo all of our worry and concern, that we may burden, is a call and reminder to look to him, to pray, to hope in Jesus above and beyond the chaos!!!” she wrote in an Instagram post. “There will always be trouble… There will be hardship… but God is good ALL OF THE TIME! And God has OVERCOME!!!”
Hamilton then shared John 16:33 — “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Hamilton often shares her faith on social media.
“Life’s busy with much to be grateful for,” she wrote under a video of herself surfing. “You never know what’s next! Continually pondering this verse below and what God’s plan may be for my life!”
The surfer added Proverbs 16:9 — “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”
In an interview with Eternity News, Hamilton spoke about God’s presence in her life.
“In all that I’ve been through, I know that God has been my strength and rock,” she explained. “Why would I reject that? God gave me this passion and ability to surf for a reason.”
Teddy Bear Award® winner SOUL SURFER tells the story of how Hamilton lost her arm in a shark attack. The review reads:
SOUL SURFER has very poignant moments that will bring tears to your eyes. It has one of those endings that make the movie work, despite some light weight scenes. Anna Sophia Robb as Bethany gives a wonderful performance. A cast of veterans provides great support. The good news is that real courage comes from deep faith in Jesus Christ, not just willpower. There are powerful church scenes, but they shouldn’t alienate secular viewers because they are extremely real. Bravo!
Movieguide® previously reported on how Hamilton’s faith pushes her forward, even when she’s scared:
Bethany Hamilton discussed overcoming fear in Sadie Robertson Huff’s “WHOA That’s Good” podcast. The Pro Surfer, who lost her arm in a shark attack, explained how she relies on God to navigate life’s challenges.
“There’s so much in life that can hold us back,” Hamilton said. “But there’s so much we can do, and… especially when you have a God who has overcome it all, you have the biggest head start over most of society.”
Huff agreed, saying, “That’s so true. My mom would always say to me ‘You know, Sadie, you can have a million excuses as to why you’re not going to do something, but fear can never be the reason why you don’t do something. That is never going to be a valid excuse.’”
Huff believes fear enables people to trust God to overcome challenges.
“I think that’s so true because I think sometimes people think, ‘oh, if I feel afraid then I must not be supposed to do it.’” She shared. “It’s like no, fear is going to be a natural thing because some things are genuinely scary, but actually like, it’s a beautiful thing to step into things afraid and to overcome them, and that does bring that confidence, it does bring that joy, it shows you what you’re capable of doing. It shows you the power of God through your life. It keeps you dependent on Him.”
