Faithful, Not Perfect
You Do Not Have to Be Perfect to Change a Life
A Note to Coaches
I am not only a coach who loves the throwing events and loves working with young people. I am also a
coach who loves the Lord. So I have started writing a Daily Affirmation for Coaches for anyone who
might be interested in touching base with Jesus as part of their day. My hope is to eventually write 365
of these – one for every day of the year. I have written quite a few ahead of time, and Lord willing, I am
going to keep working at it and post them here regularly.
If you read these, please respond below and let me know whether you are enjoying them and whether
you would like me to continue posting them. My hope is that these little studies can give coaches a few
minutes to step away from the noise of our profession, open Scripture, and remember who we are
before we ever walk onto the field.
Anchor Scripture – Matthew 11:11
“Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John.”
Supporting Scriptures
2 Corinthians 12:9
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Galatians 6:9
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give
up.”
1 Corinthians 4:2
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
Today’s Hymn
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
YouTube – Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Reflection
Coaches live in a profession that can make perfection feel like the standard.We study every detail. We replay every mistake. We second-guess decisions after competitions. We wonder
whether we said the right thing, trained the right way, prepared the athlete correctly, or missed something that
should have been obvious.
Then we look at the athletes entrusted to us and realize something even heavier: our decisions affect people,
not just performances.
That pressure can make a coach believe that in order to make a difference, he or she has to get everything
right.
Jesus never asked you to be perfect before He could use you.
John the Baptist is a powerful example. Jesus spoke of his greatness, yet John’s life was not a picture of a
man who never struggled. He had moments of uncertainty and pain. Still, he remained faithful to the calling
God had given him.
That is good news for every coach.
You do not have to know everything.
You do not have to win every championship.
You do not have to give the perfect speech or make the perfect technical correction every day.
You do need to keep showing up.
Be honest. Be steady. Be committed. Care about your athletes as people. Admit when you are wrong. Learn.
Apologize when necessary. Keep your word. Let them see that character matters more than pretending to
have every answer.
Young people are not looking for a flawless human being.
They need someone they can trust.
And over the course of a season – and sometimes over the course of a lifetime – consistency becomes
incredibly powerful.
Faithfulness changes lives quietly.
You may never know which practice, conversation, ride home, phone call, or simple act of encouragement an
athlete will remember years later.
So today, release yourself from the pressure to be perfect.
Ask instead:
“Was I faithful with the people God placed in front of me today?”Bible Study Questions
1. Where does perfectionism show up most strongly in your coaching?
2. Do you ever confuse making a mistake with failing as a coach?
3. What is the difference between excellence and perfection?
4. What does faithfulness look like in the way you communicate with athletes?
5. Are your athletes able to see you admit mistakes, learn, and grow?
6. If an athlete described your coaching twenty years from now, what do you hope they would
remember about the way you treated them?
Powerful Daily Memory Flashcards
Truth: I do not need to be a perfect coach to make a difference.
Question: Was I faithful with the people God placed in front of me today?
Declaration: I choose commitment, consistency, courage, and care over the pressure to be perfect.
Today’s Coaching Challenge
Choose commitment over pressure today. Show up fully. Lead with calm confidence. Invest in your athletes
as people first.
Let faithfulness define your day.
Prayer
Lord, help me coach with steadiness, compassion, humility, and integrity. Free me from the pressure to be
perfect. Teach me to be faithful with the athletes You have placed in my care. Give me courage to admit
mistakes, wisdom to keep learning, and a heart that never forgets that the person matters more than the
performance. Use my faithfulness, not my perfection. Amen.
A Quiet Reminder from Your Savior
My beloved child, I did not call you because you would never make a mistake. I called you to walk with Me
and to be faithful with what I place in your hands. Keep learning. Keep loving. Keep showing up. When you
fall short, come back to Me. I can use a humble and faithful coach in ways you may never completely see.
Good night, my friend. – Jesus
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