The Main Thing

Once while battling through some of the more stressful moments in coaching, I picked up a devotional seeking comfort. It was early in the morning, and I was hoping that the writing for that day would speak directly to my situation.

I turned to the appropriate date, looked at the opening Scripture and read, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Co 11:24b). As I read those words I became disappointed, even a little angry with God. I had high hopes of receiving an exact word for my struggles, and all that was before me was a devotional regarding communion. That’s when it hit me. My interest in what God could do for me had surpassed my desire for God Himself. As Jesus said when teaching His apostles to pray, “Your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him” (Mt 6:8b). God knows that what we need most is Him.

The Apostle Paul perhaps said it best when he wrote, “But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ”  (Php 3:7–8). A friend of mine used to remind me, “Make sure you keep the main thing, the main thing” (good advice whether we’re coaching or not). Paul was able to do just that—focus on Christ.