Bear Grylls: Leap Of Faith
If you're not familiar with network TV show host, Bear Grylls, you've missed more than his death-defying adventures, and the stomach-churning survival techniques that you pray you'll never need to use! You see, this man, who is arguably the most recognized face of survival and outdoor adventure, is also a proud family man and outspoken Christian who openly shares his faith.
Bear's own late father taught him how to climb and sail at an early age. Bear went on to become the youngest ever Chief Scout, an honorary Colonel to the notoriously tough Royal Marines Commandos, and one of the youngest people to ever climb Everest. Bear uses his expertise to show viewers how to survive the toughest and most remote environments in the world, but it's when he shares his love for God that Bear will really command your respect!
Bear Grylls Shares His Faith on TV
Check out this excerpt from touching conversations about faith and family that Bear started with NFL quarterback Drew Brees during a recent episode of Bear's show, Running Wild:
Bear: It's nice, you're well-known as well for your faith, which is . . . a big part of your life.
Drew: Yeah.
Bear: It's kinda the same– it's just been a driving force for me.
Drew: I think it would be hard without that type of force in your life. Just because, I think there are so many unknowns with life. And yet, when you are deeply grounded with your faith, you always feel like God has a plan and everything is happening for a reason. It doesn't mean that things are going to be easy. There will be struggles. There will be hardships. And yet you know you will find a way to work through it.
At another point, the two men were discussing how important it is to try our best, and then commit the rest to God and know that ‘the Man Upstairs' has a plan for us. And Bear responded with,
"Amen! I mean, It's a great freedom isn't it? To be able to take it off yourself and put your hand in His hand and trust."
Bear: I broke my back in a free-fall accident once, it was in the military. . . And you think. . .this can't be part of The Plan! But actually when you look at the macro-picture a few years later–
Drew: Right, would you be here if that hadn't [happened]?
Bear: Probably not is the truth! And we all have these dark times, but it's how we try to respond to them. . . it's amazing.
In addition to using his popular NBC TV show as a means to discuss faith, Bear also has talked about his faith in numerous interviews. Here are some of the explanations he has shared with those interviewers, from sharing about his own ‘conversion’ to Christianity, to painting a picture of the Jesus to whom he’s drawn.
7 Bear Grylls Quotes About Faith
1. Bear Grylls on his ‘conversion’ moment
“I remember praying a simple prayer up a tree one evening and saying, ‘God, if you’re like I knew you as a kid, would you be that friend again?’ And it was no more complicated than that. And actually the amazing thing is that all God asks is that we sort of open the door and He’ll do the rest. So often we kinda hide behind our yearning for love and acceptance with loads of complicated theological questions, and actually once that’s stripped away what we really are is just somebody who wants to have that relationship with your Father.”
(From an interview with Relevant magazine.)
2. Bear Grylls on persevering
"It was a dark time for me. I leant a lot on my family, friends and my Christian faith and slowly I began to get strong again. Sometimes it takes a knock in life to make you realise what you really value. I left that hospital with a fire inside to live life boldly and with gratitude. I had been given a second chance and that doesn't always happen."
(From an interview about the parachuting accident where he broke his back.)
3. Bear Grylls on faith vs religion
“Christianity is not about religion. It’s about faith, about being held, about being forgiven. It’s about finding joy and finding home. We all want that, but nobody wants religion. Why do people turn away from faith? They’re not, they’re turning away from religion most of the time. I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t want to be forgiven or held or find peace or joy in their life. We try loads of other stuff-we think booze or foxy women or whatever will fill it-but it doesn’t fill the hole.”
(From an interview with Relevant magazine.)
You May Also Like: 10 Amazing Bear Grylls Quotes About Life
4. Bear Grylls on the radical Jesus
“The journey’s been that faith has been the wildest ride. And Jesus, the heart of the Christian faith is the wildest, most radical guy you’d ever come across. He was always hanging around with the prostitutes and the tax collectors and having parties and banquets, and I found myself drawn to that character, not the kind of fluff that we like to box as religion.”
(From an interview with CBN’s The 700 club)
5. Bear Grylls on drawing strength from God
“My faith isn’t very churchy, it’s a pretty personal, intimate thing and has been a huge source of strength in moments of life and death. At the heart of Christianity is the belief that we are loved and held and forgiven, and I try not to complicate my faith beyond that.”
(From an interview with the Daily Telegraph)
6. Bear Grylls on personal faith
“Faith is personal if it’s to be real. And I think things that are personal are sometimes hard to talk about. And I think Brits are especially bad at that. But I’ve definitely learned over my life through a lot of difficult times - whether it’s military stuff or losing people on big expeditions on high mountains - I’ve definitely learned it takes a proud man to say he never needs any help. I’m not that man. I do need some help sometimes. And my faith has been that to me. It’s been a real quiet strength and a real glue to our family, as well.
For me to be able to climb big mountains with a person I feel has made these mountains is a huge privilege.”
(From an interview with NPR’s All Things Considered radio program)
7. Bear Grylls on faith through the storm
"Situations like this focus the mind and remind us about where our real anchor is in our lives.
We finally came through the storm and reached Iceland, but through it all I knew that Christ had been holding us fast, and my faith emerged stronger than it had ever been. They say there is no such thing as an atheist in a lifeboat, but for me it is more than that. When life’s fluff is blown away we sometimes encounter a clarity through the fog that we can be hard to find in everyday life."
(From an interview about crossing the North Atlantic Ocean in an inflatable life raft)
Bear Grylls may be an international star, but he never aspired to be a celebrity, and we love that he's way more focused on his family than fame. He is also no stranger to hardships, but doesn't let that stop him from remaining positive. He lost his dad when he was a young man, lost four of his fellow climbing friends during his ascent of Everest, and broke his back during a parachuting accident. But through both the good times and the bad, Bear holds fast to his faith and continues to give God the glory.
Dear Lord, we thank you that there are still good Christian men out there who can be role models by never backing down from an opportunity to worship you!
"Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!" Psalm 150:1-6
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h/t: Martin Saunder for ChristianToday