--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God gave me the ability, so why not? Go…" description: "\"God gave me the ability, so why not? Go out there and play for Him. Maximize the talent He gave you.\" — Calvin Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/calvin-johnson-4086_ability_god-gave-me-the-ability-so-why-not-go-ou_3079726.png" --- # God gave me the ability, so why not? Go out there and play… ![“God gave me the ability, so why not? Go out there and play for Him. Maximize the talent He gave you.” quote by Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/calvin-johnson-4086_ability_god-gave-me-the-ability-so-why-not-go-ou_3079726.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/calvin-johnson-4086_ability_god-gave-me-the-ability-so-why-not-go-ou_3079726.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/calvin-johnson-4086_ability_god-gave-me-the-ability-so-why-not-go-ou_3079726.png) > “God gave me the ability, so why not? Go out there and play for Him. Maximize the talent He gave you.” [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages using God‑given talents fully, urging active pursuit of excellence in sport and life. **In simple terms:** Use your gifts and give your best effort. Key Takeaway Play with purpose and maximize your gifts. Themes faith motivation performance purpose Mood inspirational motivational Type sports faith When to use this quote - coaching sessions - personal goal setting - team leadership - public speaking Key Concepts spirituality self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What talents feel divinely inspired? - How do you balance faith and effort? A Different Perspective May overlook practical limits or overemphasize divine attribution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [I was lucky enough to be born in a time and place where society values my talent, and gave me a good education to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-born-in-a-time-and-place-where-society/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [God gave me talent, He gave me gifts in order to magnify Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ser-darius-blain/god-gave-me-talent-he-gave-me-gifts-in-order-to-magnify-him/) [Ser'Darius Blain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ser-darius-blain/) > [Your raw talent can only get you but so far in life. That is why you must study to show yourself approved. God will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevynne-callahan/your-raw-talent-can-only-get-you-but-so-far-in-life-that-is-why-you/) Stevynne Callahan > [The ability to play with different people is infinitely fascinating to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lanegan/the-ability-to-play-with-different-people-is-infinitely-fascinating/) [Mark Lanegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lanegan/) > [Who gave you the ability to contemplate the beauty of the skies, the course of the sun, the round moon, the millions of stars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/who-gave-you-the-ability-to-contemplate-the-beauty-of-the-skies-the/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Yoga gave me the ability to calm down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-turlington/yoga-gave-me-the-ability-to-calm-down/) [Christy Turlington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-turlington/) > [Everything we have comes from (God's) hands; even if we worked for it or earned it, He still gave us the ability and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/everything-we-have-comes-from-god-s-hands-even-if-we-worked-for-it-or/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [After a couple of years, I realized that this was actually true, that his gave me the ability to go to a different place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-verrilli-jr/after-a-couple-of-years-i-realized-that-this-was-actually-true-that/) [Donald Verrilli Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-verrilli-jr/) > [God gave me an ability to throw a baseball. He chose me for a reason, and I want to honor Him with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-kershaw/god-gave-me-an-ability-to-throw-a-baseball-he-chose-me-for-a-reason/) [Clayton Kershaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-kershaw/) > [“I am thankful that God gave me the ability to write!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-selinsky/i-am-thankful-that-god-gave-me-the-ability-to-write/) [Jen Selinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-selinsky/) > [It's a natural blessing. Thanks to God. He gave me this ability of being chubby but still being fast and being able to hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-ruiz-jr/it-s-a-natural-blessing-thanks-to-god-he-gave-me-this-ability-of/) [Andy Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-ruiz-jr/) > [“if God gave you the ability to dream, he also gave you the ability to achieve that very same dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-terry/if-god-gave-you-the-ability-to-dream-he-also-gave-you-the-ability-to/) Sean Terry > [I'm a big believer that God gave me the ability to have talent, but I have worked hard on my craft. Am I going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-lindor/i-m-a-big-believer-that-god-gave-me-the-ability-to-have-talent-but-i/) [Francisco Lindor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-lindor/) > [Traveling changed my personality and gave me ability to do the music I do and to think in a certain way that everything can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/traveling-changed-my-personality-and-gave-me-ability-to-do-the-music/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [I believe God gave me the ability to play hockey, and I was helped by dozens of individuals along the way, so it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-fisher/i-believe-god-gave-me-the-ability-to-play-hockey-and-i-was-helped-by/) [Mike Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-fisher/) ## More by Calvin Johnson > [My biggest regret is that I wasn't able to help give our fans a championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/my-biggest-regret-is-that-i-wasn-t-able-to-help-give-our-fans-a/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [I feel fine as long I'm not running around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/i-feel-fine-as-long-i-m-not-running-around/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [I have always been like this. I take after my father. I'm just chill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/i-have-always-been-like-this-i-take-after-my-father-i-m-just-chill/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [I got stuff that's going to hurt for the rest of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/i-got-stuff-that-s-going-to-hurt-for-the-rest-of-my-life/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [It's easy to show off if you are making plays all the time. But it's not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/it-s-easy-to-show-off-if-you-are-making-plays-all-the-time-but-it-s/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [I've been a Madden guy since I was little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/i-ve-been-a-madden-guy-since-i-was-little/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [During the season, I dodge the media. After practice, I need to be taking care of my body and recovering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/during-the-season-i-dodge-the-media-after-practice-i-need-to-be/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [I got a finger that's literally bone-on-bone. This bad boy, it gets smaller. The more and more I do, it grinds bone-on-bone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/i-got-a-finger-that-s-literally-bone-on-bone-this-bad-boy-it-gets/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [We all understand it's a privilege just to be playing in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/we-all-understand-it-s-a-privilege-just-to-be-playing-in-this-league/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [I'm just going out there and doing exactly what I'm coached and doing exactly what I'm supposed to do and just trying to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/i-m-just-going-out-there-and-doing-exactly-what-i-m-coached-and-doing/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [That's everybody's goal, when they come to the league, is to win a Super Bowl. That's the ultimate goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/that-s-everybody-s-goal-when-they-come-to-the-league-is-to-win-a/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [You didn't want to bring home anything but an A or a B. To my mom, a C was like an F.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/you-didn-t-want-to-bring-home-anything-but-an-a-or-a-b-to-my-mom-a-c/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [Just try to add more things to my game each year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/just-try-to-add-more-things-to-my-game-each-year/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [When I was in college, I used to love to watch football on Sundays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/when-i-was-in-college-i-used-to-love-to-watch-football-on-sundays/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [I don't really get too frustrated. I know I'm going to get the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/i-don-t-really-get-too-frustrated-i-know-i-m-going-to-get-the-ball/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) [Explore all 116 Calvin Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God gave me the ability, so why not? 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