by Shannon Caughey

Different forms of devotion are regularly on display in the sports world. Fans demonstrate their devotion through what they wear, what they talk about, and the time they spend following their team. Coaches who are devoted to a specific system or style of play orient everything they do—instruction, evaluation, off-season training—around this system or style of play. Devotion is more than a feeling or sentiment. Devotion leads to action.

At the heart of being a godly coach is devotion. Returning to the definition of godliness we’re utilizing in this series: according to author Jerry Bridges, godliness is “devotion to God which results in a life that is pleasing to him.” We’ve seen already in our study of 2 Peter 1:3-7 that growth in godliness is foundationally the work of God in us: “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life” (v. 3). Yet we are not passive in this process. Beginning in v. 5, we are directed to take action: to partner with God’s work in us by making every effort to supplement our faith with several important qualities. So far we’ve looked at the qualities Peter lists of moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, and patient endurance.

Where Peter takes us next seems redundant at first glance. Here again is 2 Peter 1:5b-6—“Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness…” To grow in godliness, we supplement our faith with…godliness. Why does Peter bring up godliness again? He’s emphasizing the crucial dimension of devotion—devotion to God that is not just a feeling or sentiment but always leads to action.

What type of action? First, devotion to God is demonstrated by reverent wonder. We actively fix our focus on him and worship him. We are devoted to knowing him more deeply and responding to him more fully. Our growing understanding of the awesome reality of who God is fuels in us even greater allegiance to him. 

This leads us to actively turn away from giving our worship to other “gods.” We repent of allowing things like sports, worldly success, or material wealth to be the objects of our devotion rather than the Lord. Godliness is responding to the Lord with a reverent wonder that compels us to act according to the directive of Romans 12:1—”I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”

Second, devotion to God is demonstrated by willing surrender to God’s rule. We actively trust and obey the Lord in all things. Coaching, relationships, our career, what we do for entertainment—every area of life is under his reign and therefore is the context in which we follow him as our King. The evidence of surrendering to God’s rule is a lifestyle that exemplifies the heart and character of Jesus. And what we find is that as we willingly submit to his rule, the Lord empowers us to live for him. 

Coach, to supplement your faith with godliness, pray with the psalmist, “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11). Growth in godliness is not a passive endeavor. It’s devotion to God that leads to action. Pursue an undivided heart that worships God alone with reverent wonder. Daily surrender to the Lord, desiring to walk according to the truth he communicates through his Word. This propels you to coach and live in ways that please God.

For reflection: Ask the Lord to show you the next steps he desires for you to take to be actively devoted to him: through reverent wonder, and through willing surrender. Trust his power and grace to enable you to make every effort toward these steps. Express your gratitude to God that he gives you everything you need for living a godly life.