Unfortunately, another yearly sporting event has been postponed/canceled. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony has been moved to next year and the preseason Hall of Fame Game has been canceled.

A few years ago, I had an awesome time at the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio and every year I enjoy listening to the speeches from the guys entering into the Hall.

Since we’re delaying the celebration for the new class, I thought today we could look back at one of the players who received his gold jacket last summer.

Former New York Jets (and Titans and Seahawks) center, Kevin Mawae, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after an accomplished 16-year NFL career.

In 13 of those seasons, the running backs he blocked for rushed 1,000 or more yards. He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro selection and is a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s.

Mark Cannizzaro wrote an article about him for NYPost.com with the headline, “Durability was Kevin Mawae’s Claim to Fame for Jets.”

He explains, “Mawae was almost revolutionary at the center position for his agility and ability to pull in blocking schemes. But aside from his rare and raw skill, the hallmark to Mawae’s career was the fact he always was there for his teams — first the Seahawks from 1994 through 1997, then the Jets and finally the Titans from 2006 until he retired in 2009.”

Mawae hadn’t missed a game from the time he entered the NFL in 1994 up until the 2005 season when he tore his triceps and was out ten games. At that point, he had started 177 consecutive games.

Overall, he played in 241 games throughout his career and started all but three of them. It’s no wonder he earned the nickname “Mr. Durability,” as his toughness and reliability were assets for every team he played on.

The word durability means “the ability to withstand wear, pressure, or damage,” and synonyms include longevity, ability to last, resilience, and strength.

Durability is not only an important quality as an NFL center, but is also critical in our own lives – especially when it comes to our faith. What do we do when we encounter pressure or damage? Do we withstand and remain durable by trusting God…or do we give up and wither away?

The Bible says in James 1:12 (NLT), “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”

Would we describe ourselves as resilient…strong…and someone who continues to show up and persevere through each challenge?

We can be encouraged by 1 Corinthians 15:58 (AMP): “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].”

As we know, to be strong, steadfast, immovable, and durable, we must fully rely on Jesus for His strength to work through us.

Today, let’s excel in what the Lord has asked us to do and develop a faith that is strong, resilient, and lasts. Let’s endure the pressure and damage we will surely experience by trusting God with a durable faith.

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I desire to have a strong, immovable faith that can withstand the pressures and difficulties of life. I need Your strength to help me remain durable. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

*Check out my interview with Kevin:

Discussion Questions for PACKS:

  1. Why is durability so valuable in life and faith?

  2. How is your durability being challenged today?