You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided; the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. — Isaiah 55:12
Which is a better description of our frame of mind in competition: joy and peace or anxiety and rage? I’ve known competitors from both camps; and I know which ones were more successful and better teammates.
Though many coaches pursue their sport in anger, full of anxiety and rage, this Scripture presents another alternative. If we go out in joy and are led in peace, we find the course of life more pleasant and we receive great favor from those around us. Joy, or more simply emotional stability, is important during competition as we experience the inevitable swings of momentum from one team to the other. If we go out in joy, we have the emotional stability to react appropriately to each situation that arises.
Peace is the capacity to be calm in the midst of chaos and confusion. Competition is full of moments of confusion, and we’re too often overcome by it. Peace gives us the ability to keep our minds focused on our assignments, even when everything seems to be coming unglued.
As we lead our teams today, let peace and joy rule our hearts. Pray for the capacity to stay calm and under control, even in chaotic situations. Seek God’s character of joy to remain emotionally afloat in the midst of a turbulent sea of momentum shifts. Coach with a joyful and peaceful heart today.
1. Which of these is a better description of your frame of mind in competition: joy and peace or anxiety and rage?
2. What are the situations that tend to rob you of joy and peace?
3. How can you overcome them and coach at your best?
Extra Reading: Psalm 5:7–12; Isaiah 29:17–24; Philippians 4:2–8
Father, thank You for the privilege to be a coach. Please fill my heart with Your joy and peace as I lead my team as a representative of Christ. Amen.
