Ask any basketball player how they feel about their coach in the middle of their fifth wind sprint, and you’re bound to hear a different perspective than during the offseason. No one enjoys going through conditioning. However, the coach cares less about what the players like and more about what they need.

When a team plays well, the players receive the accolades and attention. However, if the same team continues to win across seasons, the respect shifts to the coach. While the rosters change, the coach remains the same. The accumulating record proves that the coach and the system beget success. Yes, the players are the hands and feet, but the coach leads them to victory. Anyone can have a talented team for a year, but it takes the right coach to build a successful program.

Imagine this successful coach assigns more wind sprints at practice for your team than any of his prior seasons. Does that mean he dislikes this year’s team? Does it mean this team is most out of shape? You may lament these drills as a player, complaining that it would be better to work on the fundamentals, set pick-and-roll drills, or craft defensive schemes. From your perspective, the team needs to prepare for the next game, or fundraise for new jerseys, or play more pick-up games or….. or…. or…..

But the coach knows best. His consistent record proves he knows how to recognize and address his roster's weaknesses and turn them into champions. The players who trust the coach benefit from the system, even if they cannot see the fruit of their labor upfront. Those players who resist, disobey, or criticize are either benched or cut from the team. There is no other option but to trust the successful coach despite the arduous practices.

One faithful servant (player) in the Bible was Job. In this basketball analogy, Job was the leading scorer. Job “was the greatest man among all the people of the East.” (Job 1:3 NIV) He trusted God and was rewarded for it. However, all of his wealth, health, and family were taken away. As this obedient, loyal servant suffered at the hands of evil, his resolve wore thin. At one point, Job defends his righteousness, declaring, “Though I cry, ‘I’ve been wronged!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.” (Job 19:7, NIV) Job knows he’s the best player, and instead of enduring the spiritual wind sprints, he is vocally questioning God’s coaching decisions and would prefer to do something more fun or to his strengths.

To cut a long story short, Job moans in his self-righteousness, endures accusations from three friends, and then is chastised by a fourth for his self-exaltation. It reaches a breaking point where God calls down to Job, rebuking him for daring to equate himself with God. After a thorough scolding, Job has no other response but to reply, 

“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears have heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:2-6, NIV) 

Job offers sacrifices and prayers to the Lord on behalf of his wayward friends. This restores everything Job lost. He lives to see new generations of his lineage grow. Job finishes the race well.

God is our faithful coach; we are the players. Though our hands and feet play the game for our season, He knows what the kingdom needs to continue growing. Like Job, we must come to realize that none of our spiritual talent, self-declared righteousness, or even our religious zeal dictates His timing or game plan. A man may make his plans, but the Lord directs the steps he must take to get there.(Proverbs 16:9, 20:24)

When we try to control the game, we attempt to take over the system from the coach who installed it in the first place. Our God is faithful; His track record proves it. He may have us running wind sprints, riding the bench, or reviewing tedious basics, but there is a reason for it. Like a player who buys into the system, we must endure the conditioning and the trials to be prepared for our game-time moment.

Sports analogies are fine, but what do we do when we cannot pay the mortgage? How do we stay faithful when our child is sick? Where is the hope when our marriage is heading for divorce? 

Do we demand the spiritual ball to win the game on our own, or do we acquiesce to the coach who promises us victory? (1 John 3:8) The smart play is to trust the process, and when we do not know the process, we must trust the God that created the process, along with us, our children, our spouse, and our universe. We must lean in through prayer, repentance, study, and faith. Truly we must trust in the Lord with all our heart, leaning not on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:6)

Job was restored through his faithfulness–even after his disobedience. Though we may struggle through our exercises, He is faithful to endure, so long as we don’t let our pride get in the way of the kingdom’s success. Thank God that He is gracious; He sees us in our struggle and knows what it is like to suffer as a human. It is because of the good times He has already given us, we can recognize the bad times we are currently suffering through.

Our best play is to trust the coach that got us here in the first place. So, let’s obediently endure the pain, grit our teeth, and run in such a way that we may win the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24).

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