The Powerful Prayer Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw Prays Before Pitching: "Just Talking About God's Grace Chokes Me Up Even Now"

Leah Marieann Klett : Oct 27, 2017
The Gospel Herald

"I was so worried all the time … but the day [I relinquished control of my life] was life-changing - even talking about it now chokes me up, just because it's amazing the providence God had in my life." – Clayton Kershaw

(Los Angeles, CA) — [The Gospel Herald] Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw shared the prayer he prays before pitching and discussed the moment he truly surrendered his life to God in a powerful "I Am Second." (Watch him share it on the video.) (Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

Kershaw, who earned a win as the opening pitcher in the Dodgers' World Series bid against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night, said that over the years, he's learned that "the more you try and grip control of your life, the more God's gonna untangle that from you."

"He's gonna make things go to where you have to rely on Him," Kershaw said. "I was just so worried, I was so worried all the time. My parents divorced when I was 10, I had so much anxiety about my own life. If there was something that needed to get done, I'd rather do it myself than let other people do it for me. Just stuff that I couldn't control that I was worried about. My mom and I were trying to figure out about how college was going to be a feasible option for us; it's gonna be so expensive, I can't afford to do that. I didn't know what to do on my own."

The day he relinquished all control of his life was the day he got drafted, Kershaw said.

"That was life-changing, that - even talking about it now chokes me up, just because it's amazing the providence God had in my life. God was there the whole time, I just didn't bother to look. I never thought in a million years I'd ever get to play professional baseball, get to play in the major leagues, get to live out my dream. Since I was a kid, that's all I ever wanted to do."

He added, "But, at the same time, if you're playing baseball, why are you playing baseball? To have good success on the field and be a hall-of famer? Sure, that's everybody's goal. But then what?"

Kershaw said that for him, it's about the legacy he leaves off the field.

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