For God Alone

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.”

Pslam 62:5-7 

Throughout my career, I have been significantly blessed with multiple opportunities to play alongside some of the best athletes in this sport. In the past, I played on an extremely competitive youth club and I was even fortunate enough to represent our United States youth national team. Now, I am living out my collegiate dream by playing in the ACC for the University of Louisville.  Over all of those years, playing with different people, getting to know different stories, and traveling to different places, I started to have this internal battle with myself. I began to compare. I compared my body to other athletes, I compared my playing style to other goal keepers, and I even began to compare who I was off the field to those around me.

We have an enemy that loves to distort God’s gifts into things that can ruin us. Personally, Satan turned wonderful people and beautiful places into a miserable comparison game. Countless memories and opportunities were ruined by the lie that “I would never be good enough.” I was always too short. I didn’t jump high enough. I didn’t wear the right gloves. I didn’t have the right body type. I didn’t train enough. Nothing I did was enough. Or at least that is what I thought.

God never uses perfect people to accomplish big things. You could even argue that God prefers small people to accomplish His kingdom work. Throughout my entire life, and still today, I have battled the sin of comparison. However, God has been patiently teaching me to combat this temptation by shifting my attention and my gaze to God alone.

God alone.

What an impactful statement. In God alone, I will wait. In God alone, I will hope. In God alone, I will be safe and secure in Him as my rock. In God alone, I will not be shaken. In God alone, I will accomplish immeasurably more. In God alone, my impossible becomes possible. In God alone, I will do big things even though the world is making me feel so small.

I think we have all been in that moment when one person’s words have instantaneously stolen our joy and confidence. But what if we, instead, took those lies captive, made them obedient to Christ, and listened to the truthful words of our Father? The words that define us as His children- wonderfully and beautifully made.  What if we took the fear and anxiety, laid them at the foot of the cross, and start to believe that our Father cares for us. What if we took the comparison, lifted it up, and heard God say, “You are my child, with whom I am well pleased.”

God wants you. God wants your heart. Although this world will convince you to fit into a certain mold, God created you exactly how He wanted you. You were intentionally designed. God loves you. What if God wanted to take your seemingly “small” life and do big things for his kingdom? In God alone, we can accomplish things bigger than we ever imagined. This isn’t because of who we are, but it is because of who God is. Throughout my life, God has showed up and changed everything. In God alone, I have gotten to the place where I am at.

Being a female athlete is not easy. But God has big things in store for you. All He is asking is that you trust in Him alone. Listen to the words of God and you will not be disappointed. The enemy will feel his power diminish and his strongholds break, because God is at the center of your life. Be encouraged. You are seen. You are loved. You have a God who created you and placed you exactly where you need to be. “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,” knowing that He will take my life and do big things for His kingdom.

Gabby Kouzelos

Hello! My name is Gabby Kouzelos. I am currently a goal keeper on the Louisville Women’s Soccer team. I have my degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology. I am now studying Organizational Leadership and Learning. I am extremely passionate about three things: soccer, ministry, and weightlifting!