Athlete Spotlight
Aidan O’Connell
When did you first come to know Jesus Christ?
My journey to faith was a long one. I grew up hearing the gospel from my parents and the church we attended. But, it didn’t sink in until college, where I found I truly understood it for the first time.
If you were speaking to someone on the fence about giving their life to Jesus, why would you tell them to take that step?
There would be many reasons. But the main one would be to try and convince them that they can’t save themselves. I think many people don’t know how badly they need a savior because they don’t properly see how a sinner relates to a holy God. I would try to convince them how bad their sin is in front of God, but also how amazing God’s love is to sinners through Jesus.
How has your faith impacted you as an athlete? What circumstance or trial did your faith help you overcome or endure? How did faith make a difference?
My faith has impacted every aspect of my life, including life as an athlete. My faith gives me perspective in my athletic life. My athletic life is challenging and presents a lot of hurdles. My faith gives me perspective that there hurdles are temporary, not permanent.
What’s the greatest misconception that you feel like people have regarding Christians or you personally because of your faith?
I think the biggest misconception is that people think Christians are good people. And it’s the opposite that’s true. The reason I’m a Christian is because I know I’m a bad person to my core (Romans 3:10). However, God has been gracious to save bad people through the only good person who ever lived, and that’s Jesus.
Where has God shown up the most in your life?
I think in the difficult times. Like everyone, I’ve had struggles in my life. Broken relationships, lost family members, etc. The Lord continues to reveal more about himself to in those hard moments.
What circumstance or trial did your faith help you overcome or endure? How did faith make a difference?
I had a brother pass away unexpectedly in 2022. This was definitely the hardest situation I’ve ever been in. The Lord comforted my family and I in ways I couldn’t imagine. He also opened many doors that allowed me to talk about my faith openly because of what happened. Romans 8:28 tells us that the Lord can use hard things for good.
If you could tell the next generation of athletes one thing to arm them for the spiritual battle that we are in, what would it be?
I would say don’t fall in line to what society says you have to be. It’s impossible to keep up with social norms because they’re constantly changing. God promises he’ll never change, and that’s a promise that can be held on to no matter what is going on around you.
