HOW TO PUT THE RESULTS IN GOD'S HANDS

Several years ago, during a staff training for our organization, one of my staff and I played what was supposed to be a relaxing tennis match. I thought it was going to be an easy win for me since I had pretty well dominated him in previous matches. However, I hadn’t realized he had been practicing.

In our match, he beat me. Suddenly, the fires of revenge burned in me and I casually said, “Hey, this has been a lot of fun today. Let’s play another match tomorrow.” He agreed, not realizing I just wanted to even the score. I went home thinking I just wasn’t concentrating enough on representing Jesus. So, that evening I went over several episodes in Jesus’ life and connected them to various situations I knew I would face the next day.

I went into the second match thinking I was there to represent Jesus. Little did I know how much into myself I still was. I argued close line calls as if I were playing in Wimbledon. After the match, even though I won, I felt worse than the day before when I had lost. In my heart, I knew I had not really turned the results over to God. I was “using” God to get my way.

Walking off the court, I suggested we play the rubber match the next day. In truth, I was wanting another chance to represent Jesus and really give the results, whatever they might be, over to God.

Well, about an hour before our scheduled match, I was in my office praying, trying to release my grip on what I wanted the results to be. After about 20 minutes, I thought I had done that. However, after I walked down to our training-center court, and started hitting the ball against the backboard, I realized I was still just wanting to beat my opponent. So, I hiked back up to my office, and prayed for another 25 minutes.

Finally, after wrestling with my me-me attitude before God in prayer, God enabled me to turn it all over to Him. As I walked back to the court, I truly had let go, and had given the results over to God whatever they might be.
It was a close match that ended with me winning a tie breaker. However, I felt at ease throughout the match, even in close calls. It was in prayer that God finally enabled me to let go of it, and leave it in His hands.

Now, did that guarantee me victory? Not at all. It was just at that point in our tennis endeavors I had a slight edge in ability when we were both playing our best. By the way, that edge didn’t last too much past that game, as my opponent kept improving. Within a month, or so, he was able to beat me regularly.

So, what did I learn about turning the results over to God before the event actually took place? I learned that only in focused prayer, talking with God, allowing Him to run Scripture through my mind, was I able to do it. And, once it happened - once the results really were in God’s hands - was I was free to be at my best.

RUNNING UP THE SCORE?

[This tip is based on a question sent in by basketball coach, Mike Downs: "What does a Christian coach do when his team is far superior to his opponent? How do you coach when there is a possibility of a blowout?"]

Several years ago, after sharing with a racquetball player how to give an all out effort God's way, he sadly reported back to me: "Wes, I applied the Total Release biblical principles you shared with me, and I blew out my opponent." I was a bit perplexed why he seemed so down about it.

"So," I asked, "what's disturbing you?"

He told me how his opponent felt so disgraced by the lopsided score, he threw his racquet down in disgust and said he was quitting the sport. Now, of course, the defeated player had a lot to learn in how to handle defeat, but the winning player had a legitimate concern. He felt badly about "running up the score."

In Colossians 3:23, God tells us to do our work "heartily" as unto Him. That means He wants us to give our best in everything we do. I personally see nothing wrong with scoring every chance you get. If you rein in your athletes, you're actually penalizing them for being good. It's the opposing team's responsibility to keep working at improving their performance.

However, with that said, let me share with you a question I asked the winning racquetball player, based on Colossians 3:23.

"Do you have any weaknesses?" I asked.

His eyes grew big. "Wow, sure I do." He then explained how he had a weak opposite hand slam to the corner. "So," I asked, "against weaker opponents, why not work on your weaknesses? That way you can keep improving against lessor opponents, and the score doesn't get so out of hand."

Your athletes also won't get penalized for being good. In fact, they'll keep getting even better.

That's one way to look at it, based on Colossians 3:23.

What are your thoughts?

Yours for Coaching Excellence,

Wes