Why Do So Many Rich Athletes Go Broke?
Financial
I was watching this ESPN documentary called, "Broke". It was a story that featured professional athletes and their finances.
The report stated, “By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players file bankruptcy or are under financial stress.”
Their stories were incredible! How could so many highly paid athletes go broke within two years of retiring? It was not just a few but the overwhelming majority. It is a lesson that regardless of our income we must manage our wants.
Our wants will always be bigger than our income.
Even if we had Bill Gates’s income, if we don’t manage our wants we would go broke.
God made each of us with this big void, and we spend our whole lives trying to fill it. God knows it’s there because He created us with it there. We do everything we can to fill that void, but nothing works.
We think to ourselves, Man, if I could just live here or drive that, then I would be happy. But the truth is, you wouldn’t be happy if you had those things. Those things can’t bring you happiness because there will always be a bigger house and a newer car. Worldly success alone cannot make you happy.
Isaiah 55:2 (NIV) speaks about this, “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.”
God doesn’t mind us having nice things. In fact, He LOVES to bless us with nice homes and cars. He just never intended for those things to be the object of our chase.
He wants to be what we chase and what we thirst for.
He is the only thing that can fill that empty void and bring us peace and happiness.
He has a plan for you that is bigger than you, your family, and your success.
God wants to bless your life. He wants to bless your relationships, your health, and your finances. But it’s not just for you!
When we realize it’s not just about us, we make different choices in life.
We realize then that we are blessed to be a blessing.
