Winning the Game of Life

Commit to the Lordwhatever you do, and He will establish your plans. — Proverbs 16:3

From the time I was a young kid in middle school my hope was to one day become a professional football player — I loved competing against other teams and taking on challenges with my teammates. Later, at San Diego State, it became clear to me that although I was a decent football player, I just didn’t have the skill it would take to become a great professional player. I set my sights on coaching instead, starting as a graduate assistant at SDSU under Aztec head coach Don Coryell. Pat and I have never looked back — coaching is one of the things I was created to do.

One thing I love about coaching is that there is no mystery at the end of a game. The scoreboard says it all — when that clock runs out and your sixty minutes are up, the only thing that matters is the final score. Someone wins; someone loses. I was fortunate to win a few Super Bowls as the head coach of the Washington Redskins and to end my football career with a winning record. Along the way I learned a lot from those wins, but I learned a lot from the losses as well. I believe that God used my experience in the NFL to impact the way I look at life.

As a coach, I view life as a game. You and I are the players. When our life on earth is over, there’s going to be a scoreboard. Matthew 16:27 puts it like this, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.” If you’re like me, you want to be on the winning team when the clock stops. The game of life is the most important game you’ll ever play, and whether you win or lose there will be eternal consequences.

How do we make sure we’re on the winning team? Well, if we are in a game, we have to have a coach. I believe our head coach in the game of life is God. Does a good coach just put his team on the field and say, “Go get ’em, guys . . . Do your best . . . I hope you win”? Nope. He wants the best for his players and crafts a specific game plan for them to succeed. I believe that God has given us the perfect game plan, which we can find in His playbook, the Bible.

In my experience, every time I veer away from God’s game plan I run into trouble, even disaster. On the other hand, when I’m careful to trust Him and follow His playbook, I find success — maybe not in terms of wins and losses, but in the sense of being at peace knowing that the outcome is in the hands of God who loves me deeply and always wants the best for me. In Romans 8:28 we read, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

I’ve been coaching and leading a long time now and have seen many people promoting countless game plans. Some promise to make you rich. Others promise to help you “maximize your potential” or whatever. I can honestly tell you that in my view there is only one game plan I want to execute. It comes to me from a God who loves me so much that He gave His only Son to pay for my sins. His game plan has a perfect playbook, the Bible, which includes everything I need to be successful in life.

Prayer for Today

Dear Father, thank You for giving us a game plan to live our lives by. We all want to be on the winning team when our lives on this earth are over. We want eternal life in heaven with You. Help me to be disciplined to seek You daily. Help me to turn to Your Word for the plays I need to execute to be successful. Amen.

Questions for Today

How about you? Are you following a game plan for your life? If it’s not God’s, how is it working for you? Are you ready to follow the one game plan that promises you’ll wind up on the winning team when the clock stops?

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We would love to hear your answers, and thoughts! Please leave a comment below. ~ Devotionals Daily