“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a Father the son He delights in.”— Proverbs 3:11-12

There is a clear difference between the role of a coach and that of a player. Coaches make decisions, give guidance and teach. Players put those decisions into action by following the coaches’ direction.

But coaches have another role; they administer discipline. If a player breaks team rules, the coaches decide a punishment. It may be a suspension, or it may be losing a starting position. Regardless of the severity, the punishment is noticed by all. More importantly, the reaction of the player is closely watched as well. Will the player throw a fit, speak out to the media, or sit quietly on the sideline and humbly accept the punishment he was given, vowing to learn from it?

When we sin, we need to understand there are consequences. Those consequences will vary in severity, but each should be met with a humble attitude and a desire to learn from them. God loves us and only wants us to grow closer to Him. Sometimes we grow through the discipline we have been given.

When you sin, seek God’s forgiveness and allow your discipline to be a tool to help you learn from your mistakes, and turn your focus back to our forgiving and merciful God.

— Andrea Johnson

OneCoach, part of the Sports Spectrum Network, is an international community of coaches and spouses who have been uniquely gifted and called by God. Visit OneCoach.org for more stories and videos.

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