I didn't grow up with faith. The coaching lifestyle, especially the carousel at the end of every season, made it so I didn't really have a choice.
If I wanted to stay married to coach and maintain my sanity, well then, I needed to give faith a shot.
From what I had initially assumed, if you were a good person and made the right choices, you'd have a good life. If you worked hard, things would always go your way.
But it wasn't too far into this lifestyle that I realized a favorable outcome was never guaranteed, no matter how hard he worked or how many times he did it the right way.
Once I shifted my focus from our efforts to God's Biblical promises, this lifestyle became much more manageable. But it took a deep examination, not just surface-level understanding, for the change to take root.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
God never promised to give you everything that you've ever wanted. In fact, He wants to give you so much more than you can ever even imagine. He sees from a higher perspective. He knows the entire map, while we only see the road sign in front of us. He wants to take you on a far better journey than you could ever dream up.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
God has an eternal end goal, while we hold tight to worldly and immediate desires. He knows the only thing we can take with us to Heaven is our character, not our trophies, championship rings, house, bank account, etc. So, His focus is shaping you into the best possible version of yourself, not granting your every wish. He promised to use whatever happens towards His ultimate goal for you. No experience, no rejection, no firing, no loss will be wasted.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27
This promise of peace isn't how the world would define it. It's not the absence of conflict or tension. No matter what you might be walking through, you do not have to be afraid because the greatest battle has been fought and won on your behalf. It is the promise that the Holy Spirit will calm your heart, even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.
"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8
God promised never to leave you. And He has already gone ahead and made the way for you. He knows what you need and has already placed it within you. And He will work it out in you when it's the right season or the right school. He is with you in the hard times, as well as the good. You can relax a little.
It wasn't until I buried the Word deep in my heart that it was possible to move forward with faith instead of dragging along in fear at each turn, road bump, or move. The rejections, the waiting, the losses, and even the highly successful times didn't hold me hostage like they used to.
Now, when my heart gets broken by this lifestyle (or anything else), that's what comes out- God's Word- not fear, despair, or dejection, but truth, hope, and faith.
I know without a doubt that God is with me, that He knows more than I do, and that all the craziness of this lifestyle is being used for His purpose and plan.
But unless you spend time with Him in good, it'll be so much harder for you to spot Him as you walk through the hard. Until you take time to get to know Him so well in your every day, you won't be able to see Him clearly when one of *those* days comes.
God wants us to build our lives on His promises, not temporal explanations. If you don't start to bury the Word deep in your heart now, what will come out next time a coaching situation breaks it?