Ahead of the release of his new book, “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” survivalist Bear Grylls wrote about how his Christian faith strengthens him and helps him live “more adventurously.” In a May 23 column for The Times, the reality TV star urged people to explore spiritual issues and “choose to have a faith,” which “takes courage.”
In his “Credo” column, Grylls recalled coming to faith as a young teenager after realizing “no one ever seemed to walk away unchanged” after encountering Jesus. “I wasn’t exactly hungry for more rules, restrictions, customs, and conventions,” he recalled. “But I did like the sound of the freedom and empowerment that seemed to come from being around this guy. What I didn’t know was how it would truly change me from the inside out.”
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Grylls, 50, is a former member of the British Special Forces and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He gained fame through shows such as “Man vs. Wild,” and his books have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Last year, Grylls sparked controversy for attending the baptism of controversial comedian Russell Brand.
Bear Grylls: Faith Strengthens Me for Life’s Battles
For Grylls, faith is “difficult to articulate,” he wrote. “It has to be tried to be felt. In a nutshell, my Christian faith has strengthened me in so many battles I’ve faced in life.”
The married father of three admitted he’s tried to ignore his faith and be strong on his own, but he discovered “my heart is restless until I open the door to Christ again.” Grylls said he’s “not too proud to admit that I need my Saviour beside me, within me.” If that makes faith a crutch, he added, that’s okay—because a crutch “helps us stand and walk on in life, even when we have wounds and hurts. I like that.”
To anyone who’s cynical about faith, Grylls explained that exploring, questioning, and doubting are valuable. Choosing faith requires courage and is the “tougher path” to follow. “But life and the wild have taught me that the tougher path often ends up being the most fulfilling one,” he concluded. “So be brave. Bend the knee, close your eyes, and ask for help…we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
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