Childlike Trust in Coaching
You Do Not Have to Carry Every Answer by Yourself
Key Verse – Matthew 10:20
“For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Gospel Context
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples as He prepared them for opposition and difficult questioning. He was
not promising that every spontaneous thought would be divinely inspired. He was teaching them that when
obedience placed them in situations beyond their own strength, they did not face those moments alone. That
same truth gives a coach humility and courage: we prepare faithfully, but we do not have to pretend that
everything depends on our brilliance.
Supporting Scriptures
James 1:5
“If any of you need wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways
acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
John 14:26
Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would teach and remind His followers of what He had taught them.
Today’s Hymn
Trust and Obey
YouTube – Trust and Obey
Reflection
Coaches can feel enormous pressure to always have the answer.
The right correction. The perfect practice plan. The right words after a loss. The exact thing an athlete needs to
hear when confidence is disappearing.
And when you are young in the profession, that pressure can be even worse. You may believe that admitting
uncertainty will make athletes trust you less.
It will not.
There is a difference between being unprepared and being human.You should study your event. Prepare your practices. Know your athletes. Keep learning. But preparation is
not the same thing as pretending you control every outcome.
Jesus sent His disciples into situations where they would not know beforehand exactly what to say. His
message was not, “Stop preparing.” His message was, in effect, “Do not panic. You are not going alone.”
That is a good word for a coach.
Sometimes an athlete will ask a question you cannot answer immediately.
Sometimes a crisis will arrive that no coaching manual prepared you for.
Sometimes the most honest answer will be, “I do not know yet. Let me think, pray, and get back to you.”
There is childlike trust in that response.
A child does not need to understand the entire road when holding the hand of someone trustworthy. In the
same way, a Christian coach can walk into an uncertain day knowing that God is present, wisdom can be
asked for, and humility is not weakness.
Before practice, invite Christ into your leadership.
Ask for wisdom before you speak. Ask for patience before you correct. Ask for restraint when you are angry.
Ask for courage when a hard conversation cannot be avoided.
Then coach.
Not timidly. Not fearfully. Not pretending that every thought came directly from God.
Coach with the quiet confidence of someone who knows he does not coach alone.
Bible Study Questions
1. Where do you feel the greatest pressure to always know the right answer as a coach?
2. What is the difference between being well prepared and believing everything depends on you?
3. Are you comfortable telling an athlete, “I do not know yet” when that is the truthful answer?
4. How can James 1:5 change the way you approach difficult coaching decisions?
5. Which do you need most today from God: wisdom, patience, restraint, courage, or compassion?
6. What would it look like to begin practice with trust instead of anxiety?Powerful Daily Memory Flashcards
Truth: I do not have to carry every coaching answer by myself.
Question: Have I asked God for wisdom before depending only on my own experience?
Declaration: I will prepare carefully, lead humbly, and trust God with what I cannot control.
Today’s Coaching Challenge
Before practice or competition, take one quiet minute and pray specifically for the kind of leadership you will
need today.
Then enter practice prepared – but not alone.
Prayer
Lord, I place my coaching, leadership, and words in Your hands. Give me wisdom where I am uncertain,
patience when I am frustrated, courage when I need to speak, and humility when I do not know the answer.
Keep me from believing that everything depends on me. Help me prepare faithfully and then trust You with
what I cannot control. Amen.
A Quiet Reminder from Your Savior
My beloved child, you do not have to know everything before you take the next faithful step. Prepare well.
Ask for wisdom. Listen carefully. And when you reach the edge of what you know, do not be afraid. Walk
with Me. I can guide a humble heart much more easily than a heart that must always appear certain.
Good night, my friend. – Jesus
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