by Shannon Caughey

All coaches have moments when they are unsure what to do. In addition, all coaches have times when they look back at what they did and realize it wasn’t what they should have done. A myriad of reasons contribute to this struggle: lack of information, lack of understanding, giving emotions too much influence, pressure from others, etc. Coaches desire and work toward having the clarity needed to take the right actions in each situation.

This clarity is essential because you want to honor the Lord with the actions you take as a coach. Beyond competitive success, what you do can have a significant, long-term impact on the athletes who play for you and the coaches who work alongside of you. How do you keep growing in taking the right actions in each situation, both in coaching and in life more broadly?

In this series of devotions, we’re considering how following Christ transforms our coaching, focusing in particular on what Romans 12:1-2 says: “¹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. ² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

We’ve already seen from this passage that our faith relationship with Jesus brings about a transformed purpose (v. 1) and a transformed mind (v. 2a). The “so that” in the middle of v. 2 points to a further goal for the renewing of our mind: we “may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” The Lord desires that we know what to do and we actually do it. His work to transform us leads to the clarity needed to take the right actions in each situation.

How? First, we trust that God’s will—his design for us—is truly good, pleasing, and perfect. Jesus promises that those who follow him will “have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Rather than buying into what the world tells us is “the good life,” we are confident that God’s design for our life is for our very best. 

Second, we grow in clarity regarding God’s will for how we coach and live. The word “discern” means to examine, recognize, and learn in order to gain understanding and clarity. We can be tempted to think of God’s will only in terms of looking for an answer in a specific situation, such as, “Is it God’s will for me to take this coaching position?” In reality, God’s will is far more focused on core issues like our identity, character, and purpose. We grow in clarity regarding his will in these areas by studying the Bible. For example, God’s will is that we would turn away from being self-focused and follow Jesus with an undivided heart (Luke 9:23-24), that our words and actions would be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and that our purpose in all things would be to love God fully and to love other people well (Mark 12:30-31). Discernment in specific situations is then about asking questions like, “Will I be able to move forward in who God wants me to be and the purpose he wants me to pursue if I take this coaching position?”

Third, we daily put into action what God makes clear is his will. Discerning God’s will is not merely an intellectual exercise. The goal is always to live it out. Because we know that God’s design leads us to the truly “good life”—the life that brings him glory, brings us genuine joy and peace, and brings about an eternal impact—we pursue a “want to” rather than a “have to” obedience to the Lord. And by his power and grace, the more we choose to live and coach according to what God desires for us today, the more natural it will become to keep choosing his will in the future.

You want to take the right actions in each situation, both in coaching and in life. As you trust and follow Christ, his work to transform you leads to the clarity needed to know the right actions and the empowering needed to then take those right actions. The Lord enables you to coach and live according to his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

For reflection: What are current situations in which you need greater clarity regarding the right action to take? Pray for growing discernment of God’s will and confidence in his will.