“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” — Hebrews 13:20-21
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Nick Saban. Phil Jackson. Dawn Staley. These are just a few of the greatest coaches American sports has ever seen.
They implemented effective schemes, made just the right in-game adjustments, and motivated each player as needed in order to maximize the success of their teams. Coaches like this seem to intuitively know how to get the most out of their players, so that the performance of the team exceeds the combined talent of each individual player. The most successful coaches equip their players to thrive in whatever situation may arise during a game, usually leading them to victory.
The same is true for the God we serve. His Word tells us that He has not only created us to do good things in the world, but He’s also called us to those good things and equipped us exactly as we need to be equipped in order to do them. The Bible details numerous examples of God equipping regular people for some monumental task. Think of the stories of Moses or Esther or Paul.
Guess what? Sometimes even the best coaches fail. Nick Saban lost 71 games in his 28 years prowling college football sidelines. During his 20-year NBA coaching career, Phil Jackson watched his team drop 485 regular-season games. Dawn Staley? She’s lost 186 in 24 years as a women’s college basketball coach.
Not so with our Heavenly Father. He’s infinitely better than any mere mortal, infinitely higher, completely perfect in all His ways. He’s sovereign over all. His perfect plan has never so much as had the possibility of not coming to pass. It’s this God who lives in you through the Holy Spirit. He’s always working in you to mold you into the image of Christ, and He’s always working through you to advance His Kingdom in the world.
So the next time you’re too scared to talk to a classmate or coworker about Jesus, you’re agonizing over a big life decision, or you’re facing a temptation to sin, just remember this: The God who loves you has always known you’d be in that situation, and He’s equipped you in every way to do His good and perfect will in the midst of it.
— Kevin Mercer
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