As a coach every time I began to work with a new player I sat down with them to listen to their dreams, aspirations, and what they wanted to achieve in their tennis careers.
Prior to this meeting I always did my homework by watching video after video of them playing in order to have an idea of their talent levels but more importantly their emotional stability and involvement during the times of pressure. Every time as I listened intently with my heart I realized that much of what they aspired to would be unattainable in their current condition.
Explaining this was not easy as I am sure you will understand. Yet, all I asked of them at the end of the day was to trust me and my leadership. Every time I was met with an enthusiastic and positive nod yet as soon as we began to work much of what had been agreed to began to be questioned. These questions ranged from what is the point of doing this to how does this relate to playing tennis or even at times I was accused of not knowing what I was doing or worse yet that I didn’t believe in them or even shared their goals.
How similar to how most of us are with God.
I know in my own life I have so often questioned him and his ways. So many times I have accused him of being indifferent to me and not really giving a flick about what I desired or even hoped for. Yet as time, a lot of time, has gone by I have began to slowly see that God is not really out to spoil our desires or even work against us. The thing with Him, like with a very good coach is that he has a different perspective in our lives as I did with my players. Like with me he is able to see things in and around our lives that we can’t. Things that are on the way of us not only being able to experience what we desire but that also have the potential to destroy us when we get there.
May I encourage you today to choose to stop fretting, complaining, but above all else stop doubting and thinking that he is not for you. Some of the greatest moments I lived as a coach was seeing one of my players win matches and tournaments they had not been able to before. Every time without a miss as the last shot was played they turned around and looked at me with that look of wonder. In that magical moment the realization over came them as they realized that all along what we were doing was aimed at causing this moment they were living in a reality. They were at that very moment finally understanding that all along even when it didn’t seem like it, I was for them and not against them, just like God is and has all along been for us.
Remember – the biggest mistake Adam made was not to eat the apple from the tree. His biggest mistake was to believe the lie that God was short changing him and was not for him.
-pablo-
Photo by Urmas Liiv (Personal Photographer of K. Kanepi)
