A Firm Foundation: An American Ninja Warrior’s Key to Overcoming Any Obstacle

Posted on Jul 09, 2024 Topic : Men's Christian Living, Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Daniel Gil

One of the themes of American Ninja Warrior is overcoming obstacles. We have too many people who call themselves Christians who think that success is a given. That it should come overnight. We’re facing a pandemic of that attitude and mentality. Our Christian walks are a process. The word “sanctification” comes to mind.

Moses was eighty years old when God called him to save His people and leave Egypt, and then the people of Israel went out into the wilderness for another forty years before they entered the Promised Land. David was a young teenager when he slew Goliath, but before he became king he set about a process of serving the current king and continually stepping out in faith. Even Jesus said there is seedtime and then harvest. Anything that’s going to stand firm has to be tested. And we know that pressure creates diamonds.

I spent my entire life climbing on things and jumping on things, such that when I started training for American Ninja Warrior, I already had a good foundation. I got rejected two years in a row when I auditioned for the show. I thought, God, I thought I was going to be the Kingdom Ninja. I’ve trained and prepared my body...Why is this not going the way I want? So I joined the “walk-on line,” camping out for a week outside one of the competition zones. I was tired and sunburned and dehydrated, and people in my life were telling me to give up.

And then I competed five years in a row...and kept falling. Every year I asked, God, I’m giving it my all...why do I keep falling? Again, not unlike life. But I discovered that the goal is to persevere and to use the platform I’m given. Every single time I’m on television, whether winning or losing or falling, I can use it as a means to promote the gospel in order to fill heaven and empty hell.

That’s what Christians are called to do. Over time, I felt like the Lord could trust me with more. Many millennials expect instant success, but we need to realize that it is a process, and it often takes years to reach our goals. But it’s always worth it. Just don’t waste your life climbing to the top of the ladder only to realize it was leaning against the wrong building. Really know what it is you’re fighting for and chasing after in life. Will that thing truly care for you, provide for you, and satisfy? Or will it leave you wanting?

I have found my One Thing through my relationship with Christ, and three decades in, He has never left me or forsaken me. I have let myself down many times, and other people have let me down too—even friends and family. Well-intentioned Christians have let me down because they’re still only human. They’re not God. Don’t ever trust God’s people more than God, or you’ll set yourself up for disappointment. But the Lord has never let me down. And the times in life when I felt like He had let me down always ended up feeling different when I gained a bit of understanding and Kingdom perspective. My advice is to put your faith and hope and trust in Jesus Christ.

The life I’m living now requires greater trust each day. God is constantly calling me to deeper places, where I feel like I’m out of my comfort zone. In Scripture, people sometimes felt like they had run out of options, yet God always stepped in and showed up and did the miraculous. Don’t get angry when God puts you in positions where you’re uncomfortable. Well, you can feel angry (it’s not as if God doesn’t already know how you’re feeling), but regardless of the circumstances, trust Him to uphold His end of His promises in Scripture. Work to be faithful in the little things—whether it’s a hobby, a social media following, or a job.

Enjoy the journey because it never ends up looking anything like what we’ve imagined. I’m going to keep putting one foot in front of the other, no matter what happens in my life. You can hold me to that.

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Daniel Gil is the 2020 American Ninja Warrior Champion and eight-time national finalist with a heart to point others to Christ every time he competes. He is also a motivational speaker, worship leader, and ninja OCR trainer. The above excerpt is taken from his book Kingdom Ninja, in which he gives a behind-the-scenes look on the life of an American Ninja Warrior and shares expert advice on becoming physically, mentally, and spiritually fit. His latest book, How to Be a Kingdom Ninja, gives kids a fun and imaginative glimpse into his everyday life, comic style.

Photo taken from Daniel Gil's Instagram, @kingdom_ninja