Win One Inning at a Time

I have always been someone who worries, and for that, I'll attribute that as inherited trait from my precious late mother. So in saying that, I picked a profession that has no worrisome adventures: Public education and coaching! As a principal, you never have to worry about test scores, or irate parents, or the little Johnny’s of the world who won’t stay out of trouble. As a head coach, you never have to worry about wins and losses, crazy fans who know they can coach better than you, and how much playing time that same little Johnny has or hasn’t had, right?

Ok, now that I’ve made you laugh… anxiety and stress can literally make you sick. But as a coach, I have a new philosophy that I stand by and relay to my team, “Just win every inning and stop worrying about what might happen later.” I always tell my team to stop watching the scoreboard and simply focus on winning the next three outs, and have faith that the small things leads to faithfulness in the big things (Luke 16:10).

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches His disciples about where their focus should be as they deal with day-to-day things: “Seek the Kingdom of God about all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33). The more and more we read scripture, we notice an ongoing theme, keep the main thing the main thing. We are encouraged not to worry, be anxious, or boast about things beyond what God has given us to deal with in the present. In the present we are to seek Him, and seek to be faithful in the little things. In other words, win every inning, and when you look up at the end, you see the results in your favor.

So this day, this week, this month, and this year, come to God with your fear, anxiety, and worries and offer it all up to Him. Ask Him to help us focus on one play at a time, one out at a time, and one inning at time while trusting that He has already won the victory.