ND’s Riley Leonard Reminds Us Why We Should Trust The Lord

Notre Dame football player Riley Leonard is making a name for himself — and not just because of his performance on the field.

After leading his team to a win (27-24) against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Thursday to advance to the College Football Championship, the Fighting Irish quarterback gave resounding praise of God’s grace and sovereignty. The moment came when Leonard was asked by a reporter about how his team overcame offensive struggles experienced during the first half of the game.

“Shoot, I just started trusting the Lord. I looked up and said, ‘Jesus, whatever your will is for my life, I trust it 100 percent,’” Leonard said. “I know that this offense and this team trusted in Jesus and His plan for this season.”

Thursday’s postgame interview wasn’t the first in which Leonard has given Christ the glory. After the team’s quarterfinal victory over the Georgia Bulldogs last week, the Notre Dame senior praised his “Lord and Savior” for giving the Fighting Irish the chance to compete for a national title.

“First of all, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, I wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be here as a whole group,” Leonard said. “I’m just so grateful for this opportunity. This is a beautiful thing, and a dream come true.”

[RELATED: Jesus Christ Takes Center Stage In This Year’s College Football Playoffs]

Leonard has previously discussed how he and roughly 40 of his teammates participate in a weekly Bible study group, a decision the quarterback said is “really a credit to them.”

God Has a Plan

While certainly worthy of commendation, Leonard’s Thursday remarks hold a bigger truth we can all learn from.

When God created man, He gave us the free will to make our own choices. But those decisions don’t always reflect what God desires or the plan He’s laid out for us.

What Leonard so aptly conveyed is that it’s the Lord — not us — who is omnipotent. It is He who knows the words on our tongues before we speak them (Psalm 139:4), and it is He who “is greater than our heart[s]” and “knows everything” (1 John 3:20).

It can be easy to forget in life’s chaotic and confusing moments the wisdom of this universal truth. We’re so caught up in our own mess that we fail to remember God’s everlasting wisdom and the greater purpose He has in store for us.

As indicated by Leonard, only through salvation in Christ can we come to this understanding and recognize that we serve a much higher calling. This world is not our home (Hebrews 13:14), and regardless of whether we succeed or fail when pursuing our earthly ambitions, we’ve already received the greatest gift ever given.

With so much uncertainty ahead for our country, all of us should take some time to reflect upon Leonard’s words and life’s true meaning. Always remember to keep God in focus, praise Him for His lovingkindness, and share His wisdom with others every chance you get.