A Bold Step

The whole issue of a "calling" is addressed in Ephesians chapter 4. We have been saved by Christ and gifted by Him, and Paul writes:
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Later in the chapter, we're reminded of the treasures of God's spiritual resources:
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

A.J. Griffin is a former NBA first-round draft pick, selected by the Atlanta Hawks, according to ESPN.com, which reports that he played at Duke and has spent the last two seasons in Atlanta. The website shows he's 21 years old.

He won't be returning to play in the ATL for the upcoming season.  So, where will he be playing?

A better question is "how will he be living?"  A Faithwire article notes:

The former Atlanta Hawks forward, who agreed to a reported $250,000 buyout, said he became a Christian in 2020 and has since sought to live that faith out.

“I gave up basketball to follow Jesus,” Griffin said. “And I know that, in a lot of people’s eyes, that seems like … a loss in the world’s eyes. But I just want to let you guys know that I’m super excited, because I truly get to serve God … with my full ‘Yes,’ and I feel like letting go of basketball is allowing me to … go into full-time ministry and truly serving the Lord with all my heart — with all my time too, as well.”

That's a quote from a video that Griffin posted, in which he said, “So, I’m just excited to see where that leads me.”

Griffin also notes, "“When I came to God, He truly showed me that we’re all made to glorify God,” adding, “We’re all made with a God-given purpose, but we must step into that.”
 

Fellow Christian Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic, praised Griffin's decision on X, in a post embedded in the Faithwire article, stating:

Can’t say I’m not saddened! League lost a really good player and even better dude! I’m so proud of him for his heart and commitment to Christ and putting it on display. Can’t wait to see God’s will for his life continue to unfold!

There were those who wondered why Griffin left the NBA.  The article said:

In his video, he made it clear he felt called to step away and fully devote himself to the Lord, pledging to make more social media content pointing people toward Christ.

“The only thing that truly matters is a relationship with Jesus,” he said. “I’m just excited to keep doing the work of the Lord.” 

Each of us has to remain true to his or her calling. Jonathan Isaac plays basketball and allows God to work through him in the NBA.  A.J. Griffin is pursuing a different path - he believes he can serve the Lord best outside of professional basketball.  Again, we have to gain a sense of what God wants to do through us and act accordingly, not following the crowd or seeking to please other people, but to exalt the One who has given His life to save us. 

And, there may be times in which we are directed to sacrifice something that we enjoy for the sake of satisfying the will of God.  We can rely on the Holy Spirit to conform our attitudes to enthusiastically embrace the call of God on our lives.  When our desires align with His, even though there may be sacrifices, we can know a deep sense of His joy and His presence.