Athletes and coaches depend on one another for a dynamic relationship. Athletes depend on their coaches to provide direction, train them, give them the tools they need to succeed and set the pace of their development. Coaches are expected to have a winning strategy and a plan to fulfil the goal. The athlete looks to her coach to have all the answers, validate her current state in the process and let her know if she needs to be worried or if she’s okay. And the coach pulls out the best athletic performance in his athlete, digs deep and gets her to go beyond what she thinks she’s capable of and rise up in her skills.
The athlete-coach relationship is grounded in trust. Nothing gets accomplished if that core pillar doesn’t exist. Genuine trust means that the athlete is confident in the coach’s competency (that he knows what he’s doing) and his intentions toward her (that her coach has her best interest at heart). If that peace is not present, the athlete will question every direction given by her coach. It doesn’t allow room for her to work at her best and she won’t give her all. When, on the other hand, the athlete has a trusting healthy relationship with her coach she can train and compete freely and grow.
Your journey along this mission is long. You get to celebrate victories along the way. You also meet resistance and sometimes you feel bored, stagnant or just plain stuck. Some seasons are longer than others. One of the most encouraging things to do is to mediate on the outcomes God gives in our perseverance:
God brings us to a place of abundance. (Psalm 66:12)
We will be mature, lacking nothing. (James 1:4)
Our heart and mind will be guarded by God’s unfathomable peace. (Philippians 4:7)
We receive a hope that doesn’t disappoint. (Romans 5:5)
Many will see and praise the Lord. (Psalm 40:3)
The hope and assurance that God gives us in all phases of this journey is that He is with us, and He is for us. You can stand on that.
God knows what He's doing.
What do you need know and understand so that you can implement the word God is teaching you along this mission? What helps you embrace God’s Word as truth so that you can keep moving forward through the process? You can do more than just get through the mission; you can thrive through it. You can develop and exhibit the fruit of the spirit through it – stay committed to the mission while experiencing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. You can let go and trust God.
Just as the athlete must trust her coach, you must trust God’s competency. Where your knowledge of today is limited, God is all-knowing. When you feel as though you have no direction, you can rest assured that God knows the plans that He has for you (Jeremiah 29:11). God knows how He formed you, which includes your strengths, weakness, capacity, limits, desires, preferences, joys and fears. He knows you. You can rest secure in God’s competency that He know what He’s doing and do His job well.
“Mountains rose and valleys sank
to the levels you decreed.
Then you set a firm boundary for the seas,
so they would never again cover the earth.” (Psalm 104:8-9)
You can also trust God’s intentions towards you. No one willingly lays down their life or follows a leader wholeheartedly who they don’t believe is for them. Followers have to believe that the leader is working on their behalf and that they will ultimately benefit from that leader’s direction and directives. God’s intentions are good. They are not to harm you, but to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). He works all things together for your good (Romans 8:28), and He knows how to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11).
God’s been doing everything to pursue and appeal us, grab our attention and make it so that we desire Him and can have an intimate, personal relationship with Him in this lifetime. He established Himself as trustworthy. He put His majesty and glory on display in the heavens. He set eternity in the human heart. He made himself fully known through creation so that men would be without excuse. God wants you to know that He is for you. He wants to direct our lives, but it requires our devotion and obedience. In Him is the safest place to trust the process. You can surrender to His leading.
When things don’t go according to your plan, don’t panic; just turn to God and let go. He is for you!
NEW DEVO!
Click the image below to read our latest devotion on God is For Us
This quarter, we’re exploring what it means to Pursue Mission. This month, our focus is on how to Commit to the Mission. Join us as we journey through this exploration.
One way to actively Pursue Mission is to get involved with FCA. Whether it’s volunteering as a Huddle leader or character coach, or committing to our team and coming on staff, we have a place for you to serve and disciple coaches and athletes. Get involved!
Want to learn more about pursuing team and surrounding yourself with the right spiritual teammates? Head to FCA in Action and read our December Pursue articles:
Anchor Article: Get Moving: Commit to the Mission
Article Two: God Is Able
*If you read this article and aren’t in relationship with Christ yet but would like to know more, we invite you to go through FCA’s The FOUR that explains how an everlasting and fulfilling life with God is possible.
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