Paul Rodríguez admits he couldn't do it alone
The 41-year-old skater said on Instagram that he stopped fighting his battles alone and pointed to Christ as his strength.
Paul Rodríguez, the skater known as P-Rod, said in his Instagram stories that he tried to fight his battles alone and couldn't. The trade outlet ShreddER picked up the message; Evangélico Digital reported on it.
At 41, Rodríguez remains a leading figure in street skating. He has several X Games medals, has a long relationship with Nike SB (which in 2005 launched the first skater-signature shoe under his name), and founded Primitive Skateboarding, one of the best-known brands in the industry.
His post surprised some of his followers, who are more used to seeing him in trick videos and competitions. This time he talked about something else.
«Giving up the fight alone is not surrender: it's recognizing who fights for you.»
The weight of fixing everything
The "échale ganas" (give it your all) culture has an unwritten rule: if you try harder, you can handle anything. At 16, at 25 or at 41, that rule ends up breaking anyone. Rodríguez wrote it plainly: "For many days I tried to fight my battles by myself, and I always wondered why I never managed to truly overcome them."
He said he wasn't prepared for those fights or in tune with the Holy Spirit, whom he describes as the one who strengthens and protects in times of real spiritual warfare. He reminded his followers that the fight belongs to the Lord, not to the person facing it.
And he added the point that makes us uncomfortable: it's not about trying harder, but about whom you hand over what you can't carry.
Seek first, not last
His reflection rested on two Bible passages: Hebrews 13:5 and Matthew 6:33. The first holds the promise that God does not abandon us: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5, ESV).
The second sets the order of the search: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33, ESV).
Rodríguez encouraged people to cultivate prayer and to seek God in everything they do. He added that when someone feels the enemy creeping into their life, it's enough to cry out to the Father, because he always answers.
None of this promises a life without hits or works as a formula for winning. It is the confession of an athlete who stopped trusting in his own strength.
A faith with years behind it, not spotlights
The message didn't come out of nowhere. In December 2020, Rodríguez told HOLA USA magazine that he thanked God every day and prayed often to stay focused and balanced. He also talked about the knee injury that kept him away from skating for two years, describing it as one of the greatest blessings of his life. He was grateful to have regained his health.
In July 2025, in a conversation with actor Diego Tinoco, he was asked whom he admired and answered that, above all, it was Jesus. He said he reads the Bible every day to draw closer to God, and that the more he studies it, the more aware he is of how he lives.
He said he tries to live as a follower of Jesus without pretending to be perfect, and that he goes to church to go deeper into the Bible's teachings.
If you're carrying something you can't lift today, the first step isn't gritting your teeth. Talk to God with whatever words you have, tell him what you can't control, and ask for help from someone you trust, your pastor or someone at your church. Giving up the fight alone is not surrender: it's recognizing who fights for you. Who do you call when you can't do it?
