God Is Able

We started off our season with struggle and disappointment. My 18s team went 0-9 at our first volleyball tournament of the year. Every drill and every play we prepared for leading up to it seemed to be lost on my team. They were intimidated, unmotivated and unwilling to compete that day.

By the end of the tournament, every player (even some parents) had tears and disdain showing on their faces.

As their coach, I did my best to leave them with a final word of motivation, that we’d dust off the dirt and reset again come our next tournament, but I couldn’t shake this gut-wrenching feeling that we were doomed. I let negative, hurtful thoughts cloud my wisdom and vision as a coach.

Later that evening, as I began my quiet time with God, I remembered the important words of Ephesians 3:20:

“…God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, accomplish[es] infinitely more than we might ask or think…”

I realized that as His chosen children, His co-heirs, we are embedded with the same power that raised Christ from the dead. If we accept His gift of love and salvation for our lives, there’s nothing in this world that we can’t overcome through Him.

Because of Him, and only Him, we are able.

Over the next few practices, we huddled up to give praise to God and asked Him to bless our practice before we hit the court. In our next three consecutive tournaments, we went undefeated, placing first in our division. By the time our season ended, four of my senior athletes signed to local colleges.

When we put God and His plan first and give Him the glory in every situation (win or lose), we make way for a greater impact than if we relied on our own efforts.

Competitors, I empower you to surrender to His plan and lean on His wise words, for through Him, we are able to accomplish incredible things.