There may be nothing more frustrating as a coach than to see players make the same mistakes over and over. In some cases, the mistakes result from a lack of education on a particular skill or aspect of the game. In other cases, the player is simply incapable of performing what the coach has asked of him. Those mistakes are likely more easily forgiven than the ones made by players who were simply not paying attention when the coach was giving instruction. Many mistakes are made because players tuned out when the coach spoke. Many a coach knows the resultant anger and frustration from dealing with such issues.

Proverbs 22:20-21–“Have  I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge, to make you know the certainty of the words of truth that you may correctly answer to him who sent you?” (NASB)

The coach says to his player, “We just went over that. We’ve been going over it. You haven’t been paying attention. Don’t blame me or make excuses for your mistakes. I’ve given you what you need to be successful. You missed it.”

Been there, coach?

In a much more serious sense, some of us are not paying attention to the instruction and wisdom that God has provided for us. We keep making the same unwise decisions, committing the same sins, going down the same stupid path, all the while wondering why God won’t show up in a vision and tell us what to do. Has he not already provided an entire book about himself and his desires for us? Have we not simply tuned him out in many areas of life?

Scripture provides all we need to know God as he wants to be known, all we need to understand his love and grace toward us, all we need to know his Son, all we need to understand what Christ living through us means. Yet, we spin our wheels, missing the same ground balls over and over because we pay him no attention.

He has written excellent things for us, counsel directly or indirectly on every facet of life. Maybe it’s time to start paying attention when the Ultimate Coach is talking.

Here’s a prayer for those who relate:

Heavenly Father, I’m listening now. I want to know truth from you. I want life from you through your Son Jesus. I want to move forward and grow up in you. Make it happen. Amen.