Coaches Coach, Players Play!

Earlier this week, I recounted my disastrous attempt at playing basketball. Admittedly, I was 39 years old, playing against young players aged 16 to 23. In my high school days, I was a decent basketball player. I had a good shooting range, could jump high, and had a speed comparable to a deer. My junior varsity coach, Coach Parnell, was an incredibly demonstrative person. His antics on the sidelines were pure comedy. It was challenging to discern whether he was being serious or playing, or sometimes both. Despite his quirks, Coach Parnell was a good person and a coach.

Speaking of Coach Parnell, I have a funny story about the time he put me in the game. Remember, Coach Parnell is very demonstrative, so he hurriedly walked down the sideline and asked, “Who wants to shoot the ball?” I responded, “I’ll shoot it!” Then, Coach Parnell exclaimed, “Gooo shoot it!” I was in the game, we executed the play, and I got the ball. I passed it. Now, I repeated this process a few times: run the play, get the ball, and pass it. I passed the ball because I thought my teammate had a better shot, at least I thought so. Suddenly, I heard “ERRRN ERRRN” and Coach Parnell yelling “Sub” while waving me to the bench. As I reached the bench, Coach Parnell said, “I thought you said you wanted to shoot it!” I shrugged my shoulders in disappointment. What I didn’t understand at the time, but I do now, is that I asked to be in the game but didn’t follow Coach Parnell’s instructions. Let’s look at a scripture to understand the past and present:

Proverbs 3:5-7 (NLT) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

I have a question for all of us. When will we allow the Heavenly Father to be the coach of our lives? A coach’s job is to bring out the best in us. They see things that we don’t. Isn’t this how the Heavenly Father operates? He put us in the game, gave us the play, and we got the ball. But we don’t shoot because we believe something or someone is better. Doesn’t that sound like a lot of our lives? We ask the Heavenly Father for something, he gives us the way, and we don’t take it because we believe there’s a better way. So, my question remains: when will we allow the Heavenly Father to coach our lives?

As I conclude this message, I want to emphasize that we all face challenges in following the path laid out by the Heavenly Father. We often desire a specific outcome before committing to the journey. However, it’s crucial to remember the role of a coach. A coach possesses unique insights and abilities that allow them to identify potential and bring out the best in their players. We are fortunate to have the greatest coach imaginable, who possesses the ability to perceive things beyond our own understanding and genuinely wants the best for us. Trusting in this exceptional coach, executing the plays they have devised, and seizing opportunities when presented are essential steps in our journey. Ultimately, the greatest missed opportunity is the one that remains untapped.

Next Step:

In what areas of your life are you relying on your own understanding rather than trusting in the Heavenly Father? How can you actively seek HIS guidance to cultivate a deeper sense of faith and reliance on HIM? 

God bless you, God keep you. God loves you and I love you too!