Does God care who wins and loses?

Before the Super Bowl last week, Sport Spectrum, the American magazine that looks at sport from a Christian perspective, surveyed 1,540 adults and asked them, “Do you think God has a preference (or influences) on who wins or loses athletic competitions?”

While 78 per cent of the respondents said ‘No,’ 22 per cent felt that God does have a preference on who wins or loses in sport. 

Controversially, I think I’m with the 22 per cent, but maybe not for the reasons you’re thinking…

Prosperity or purpose?

In January, Riley Leonard, a quarterback at the Catholic University Notre Dame made headlines before the 2025 College Football Playoff National Finals against Ohio State when he said: “We’re the two main teams to just publicly display our faith the most…I truly believe that Jesus was looking over both our shoulders throughout the season and put these two teams on a pedestal for a reason.” He seems to be saying that God let them win as a result of their evangelism. He seems to be saying that God influenced their performance due to their religious observation. 

Paul Putz, author of The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big Time Sports rightly says: “We can’t discern God’s will when it comes to why one team wins and the other loses. If we try, we can easily fall into the transactional frame of the prosperity gospel: If players perform religion in the right way, if they have enough faith, then God will bless them with success.”

This is a misunderstanding seen in some young sportspeople as they understandably confuse God with a kind of cosmic coach. They’ve been used to authority figures, like their coaches, rewarding them for their performance. As Chris Watkin insightfully notices, “It is the default human setting, and the default mode of our society: achievement brings reward, and you do what you must to get what you want.”

For people with this instinct (and that’s all of us), they need to be reminded that the God of the Bible is, wonderfully, not like that. He does not give us what we deserve and that is glorious news for the believer. God has given us good gifts so we might enjoy him, not so we might prove ourselves to him (something I unpack more of in an upcoming book). 

So I don’t think God influences our game because of what we do.

But this is where I think I land with the 22 per cent. I do believe Jesus was looking over Riley Leonard and his teammates’ shoulders in the season, because I do think God really cares about every aspect of our lives, even our sport. I believe he uses all of these moments, the highs and the lows, to make us more like Jesus. He knows that certain results will push or pull us in certain directions. 

Leonard seemed to begin to process this in his post-match press conference after his team comprehensively lost.

“I think [both teams] strengthened each other in our faith through coming to this game and competing against one another, so I’m happy to see godly men come out on top no matter the circumstances - and I’m happy to praise Jesus in the lowest of lows as well.”

More than winning

Paul in Romans 8:28 tells us, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

If we believe God is in charge of the universe and he works all things for our good, this has to include our sport. The key here is defining properly what Paul means here by “good.” For us we may think “good” is winning ceaselessly, breaking world records and getting promoted.

But Paul continues in verse 29: “For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.”

The “good” that God works in us is defined as making us more like Jesus – having our character changed so we grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22). 

God is blessing both the “winner” and the “loser” with another opportunity to worship God in how we respond to him and to those around us. 

The uncomfortable truth is that the Spirit often cultivates these characteristics in adversity and hardship. As Ed Usynski reminds us, “[God’s] view of what constitutes a “win” or a “loss” couldn’t be more contrary to what we typically are fed as…viewers and participants of sport and life.” For Jesus victory was primarily seen in defeat, strength in weakness. 

The biggest victory

God can then use the pain of defeat or the shame of a loss, to remind us of our identity that is fixed and secure in him as our father. He can use the joy of victory which fades quickly, to remind us of the everlasting joy of knowing Jesus for eternity.

As we either win or lose, God is blessing both the “winner” and the “loser” with another opportunity to worship God in how we respond to him and to those around us. He even uses the outcomes to allow those who don’t yet trust in Jesus to realise their need for him as they see the hollowness of both victory and defeat at being able to provide lasting satisfaction.

So does God care whether we win or lose? Does he have a preference? 

I think so. He cares because he loves us and longs us to be more like him. Whether you win or lose, God can use that experience for your good and for his glory.