From Scarcity to Abundance: A Coach’s Pathway to Renewing Vision and Finding Peace
It's a common experience for a coach to be immersed in the all consuming nature of a sports season. Life orbits around performance and an identity that’s constantly tied to the next competition. Thought-life can become overwhelmed with new strategies, possible scenarios, and fear of failure. Anxiety can slowly take over the body in the pursuit of success. For those experiencing losing seasons or performance struggles, the level of anxiety may be heightened for fear of losing control. Perceived lack of abundance or control has a way of creeping into our perception of reality.
My perception was challenged this summer while hiking in the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. With my head down trudging along, I could not help but notice the difficulty of the hike. My thoughts were centered on my hunger, fatigue, and general weakness. With every step, my internal complaining dialogue grew louder, nearly leading me to give up the hike altogether. As my eyes were set on the mountainous terrain underneath my feet, I heard my husband gasp with excitement “Look!” I lifted my head to find a surprising sight – we were surrounded by mountain laurels and late blooming rhododendrons. It was an incredible picture of abundance as the flowers almost encompassed the whole trail. How long was I walking with my head down fixated on how much I was lacking only to miss the beauty all around me?
It was a reminder that perception is not always reality. I convinced myself that the hike was miserable and maybe even pointless because I was focused on my weakness and the fear that I would never make it to the top. My perception became clouded by perceived scarcity. Meanwhile, the journey up the mountain offered more than I could imagine.
The remainder of the hike I attempted to notice the beauty around me while pondering this question: What are we missing in life by focusing on scarcity rather than abundance?
Abundant Vision
Abundance and generosity are topics woven throughout scripture from God providing manna for the Israelites wandering in the wilderness to Jesus feeding thousands of people with five loaves of bread and two fish. Furthermore, abundance and generosity are central to Jesus’ most famous teaching found in the book of Matthew – The Sermon on the Mount. Jesus speaks to his disciples and a ‘great crowd of people’ who include the sick, diseased, outcast, and lowly. Those whose lives were not defined by worldly standards of abundance. The Sermon on the Mount teaches those listening how to live in the Kingdom of God. Jesus addresses their perspective.
Jesus says “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” Matthew 6:22-23
Expressions using the imagery of ‘the eye’ are common in ancient Hebrew literature. Similar to when my mom would say ‘open your eyes’ when the item I was looking for was in front of me. Or the phrase ‘she has an eye for the game’ meaning the athlete or coach understands the game on a level that can lead the team to flourishing. In Ancient Hebrew literature, a healthy eye is often used to illustrate a perspective focused on God’s generosity while an unhealthy eye demonstrates a stingy outlook on life. Jesus is perhaps telling his audience that an abundant mindset has the power to transform a person. Meanwhile, an unhealthy eye or scarcity mindset prevents light from penetrating the darkness, and that darkness is all consuming.
A perspective fixated on God’s generosity and abundant grace is necessary for human flourishing. This perspective does not come naturally to all. Like an underdeveloped muscle, it must be strengthened through intentional training. Jesus explains how to train a healthy eye (or an abundant mindset) in subsequent verses.
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” Matthew 6:25-30
Jesus is using similar language to Psalm 104 which details a world dependent on a generous host (God) for sustenance and life. Jesus encourages listeners to look up and see – to notice the surrounding grace and generosity that points to a benevolent God who is sustaining all of Creation. Noticing God’s benevolence and generosity trains our perception of reality.
So, the challenge is set before us – notice God’s grace and generosity in the world. However, this challenge can feel more like a fight when living in seasons of perceived scarcity.
20/20 Vision in Seasons of Scarcity
A winning record, an influx of money, the best recruiting class, and consistent performance define what it means to have an abundance in sport. But what if God has more in store for us than defining abundance by these standards? The reality is that the world is dependent on God’s grace and full of generosity markers that have nothing to do with our performance. That can be a rather difficult concept to believe. It’s easier to obsess over what we do not have rather than focus on the gifts right in front of our eyes.
It’s important to acknowledge the pressure coaches face to produce a winning season and the reliance on performance for a paycheck. There are real felt physical needs at stake when a team is not performing. In the passage above, Jesus was not primarily speaking to those living in abundance by worldly standards. The Sermon on the Mount was taught to an audience of people who had plenty and people who were suffering at the hands of an unjust society. Jesus knows the reality of living in our world. You may be feeling the threat of scarcity in anxiety provoking ways. Coach, take heart in these words from Jesus “your heavenly Father knows that you need…” Matthew 6:32.
Every November, my church offers a Thanksgiving service where members of the congregation share testimonies of gratitude. Surprisingly, the people who step up to the mic are often in crisis, hardship, and weakness. Their testimonies of God’s grace during a season of scarcity brings light to our church. It’s a reminder that God is good (all the time) and near to those in need. This liturgical practice challenges my vision every year.
How’s your vision? Is it focused on scarcity or abundance?
There is much to be gained by clarifying our vision to clearly see God’s generosity. A sportsperson who is transformed by an abundant mindset is freed to enjoy sport for what it is – a gift from a benevolent God. Free to relinquish control to the sustainer of the universe leading to peace rather than anxiety. Free to serve and give generously to others as if there’s nothing to lose. Free to enjoy sport and find joy in the giver of the gift.
Abundant Vision Training
An abundant mindset does not develop overnight nor through passivity. Discipline and intentionality are necessary to train this underdeveloped muscle. One common discipline is gratitude.
Gratitude is a simple spiritual practice that trains our ‘eyes’ on God’s abundance. The Hebrew word for gratitude is “Hakarat HaTov” and literally translates to recognize the good. This is exactly what Jesus taught – recognize the good in the world as a gift from God and let that transform a scarcity perspective into an abundant mindset.
Coach, what are you missing by keeping your head down in the grind of the season? Be encouraged by the words of Jesus to look up and see the generosity of God. Let God’s grace transform your vision and bring you peace.
For more on gratitude, check out this devotional on the 7 Habits of a Grateful Athlete.
