Stay Strong

When I was home last week, I got to watch my brother play 3 soccer games. I love watching Michael play. He's fast, he's strong and he's skilled. He's a great player and a good leader. And considering he's a head taller than me and a thousand times stronger, I always consider him to have very little to be afraid of. However, a year ago, he ruptured his spleen during a game. Another kid knocked his legs out from under him, and he just hit the ground so hard that it ruptured. He spent a week in the hospital and it healed itself, and now he plays every game with a chest protector thing (that, in all honesty, wouldn't do a darn thing if his body was put in the same situation).
I always expected this to change his playing style. The truth is that if my mom hadn't taken him to the hospital when she did, he wouldn't be alive today. So it's no surprise that when he finally got back into the game, the possibility of that same experience would keep him from giving it everything he has. Even knowing all of that, it frustrates me so badly to see him holding back. He plays scared. He plays nervous. Watching his games are pretty interesting experiences for me. Half the time, I'm mad at him for turning his back to a ball or shying away. The other half, I'm doing everything I can to encourage him to keep pushing through it.

My point is that I know he's strong, and I know he's one of the best players on his team. He has strength and leadership ability and plenty of other good qualities, but when he spends his time playing scared, he's not living up to his potential. I want him to understand that he has a ridiculous amount of potential and promise in him (obviously this transfers outside of soccer as well) and he needs to use it.
So how many times in life do I shy away from what I'm capable of because I'm unsure? How often do I play scared? How is God encouraging me to stay strong and live up to my potential? What injury in my past has caused me to doubt my skills and ability that God has clearly placed in me for a reason?