Competitors love to have goals, and they pursue them with everything they have. Nothing will get in their way! They will give their all—all the time. They will not give up or give in. And they will not give out. They are relentless.

“It’s hard to beat relentless.” – Jay Bilas

Relentless is everywhere these days. There is a Relentless energy drink, Relentless Nike running shoe, Relentless movie, “Relentless” country album, and even a Relentless steak and lobster restaurant.

As we unpack this concept of relentless competitor, there are several good one-word definitions of relentless:

Today, the entire state of Louisiana is asking one question: “Who dat?” It’s part of the celebration surrounding their Saints’ 31-28 overtime victory against the Minnesota Vikings in yesterday’s NFC Championship game.

As the Saints marched through this season to where they are now, much attention has been given to their quarterback, Drew Brees. He’s been on magazine covers (including the January issue of FCA’s Sharing the Victory) and in thousands of interviews. His story is remarkable—one that clearly shows the power of God at work in his life, both on and off the field.

Have you ever been nervous before a big game? Have you ever felt like quitting an event before you even got started? The first time I competed in the Boston Marathon, I didn’t think I belonged in the race. As I sat on the starting line, in my mind I was yelling at my coach, I don’t belong in this race! I’m not strong enough!

However, one of the most amazing things happened to me that day. Although on the starting line I doubted my ability to even finish the famous Boston Marathon, 26 miles later I had won the race and broken the world record by almost seven minutes! I was stronger than I thought I was!

As a certified athletic trainer, I have spent many hours watching football practices and games. I pay especially close attention to all of my linemen (the big boys on the front line). It’s amazing how you watch these young men get down and block, all for the sole purpose of creating holes for the running backs or protecting the all-important quarterback. These linemen perform blocks and pulls throughout every practice and game, yet we rarely ever hear their names being called out on the loudspeakers telling of the great job they are doing.

During a losing season or bad game, it’s easy to give up on each other. When a teammate breaks team rules, the question arises: Can we count on this player whose conduct or performance is below our team’s standards? When we blow it, will our teammates give up on us?

Peter made a lot of mistakes. He made claims he could not back up; did things without thinking of the consequences; talked when he should have listened; and lied, cried, and almost died because of his immaturity. But Jesus never gave up on him, and he became a world-changer.