Kelsey Jones is a Licensed Association Counselor with Living Well Counseling in the El Dorado and Monticello area.
Throughout the span of his coaching career, Gus Malzahn has made fans, fellow coaches, and players alike believe in the “Hurry-Up, No-Huddle” offense. This proven philosophy is centered around the concept of not giving the defense any time to get settled. When executed well, the quarterback has made a play before the defense has decided on Cover 1 or Cover 2.
Critics of this up-tempo mindset speak of the risk of sloppy play calling or strain on player endurance. However, these doubts fail to factor in the methodical and intentional installation of systems, teamwide unity, and game-pace standards established through consistent practices.
Cue the metaphor: The Lord wants the same kind of championship level success for His children! When we as Believers take the time on the front-end to build strong, effective rhythms of wellness centered around the enduring love and strength we access from Our Heavenly Father, we don’t have to huddle up to overthink about what’s next. We can make confident decisions free from the opponent’s attempts to tackle us. We know the plan, and we trust the Coach.
These rhythms of wellness might include small habits like pausing to take a few deep breaths before reacting to a charged situation, making time to jot down a few things you’re grateful for each day in a journal, or even enlisting the help of a Left Tackle accountability partner to protect your blindside from damaging behaviors that are harming your relationships. With regular practice, small rhythms lead to sound systems, and sound systems lead to abundant lives that exemplify the words of John 10:10 that tell us, “The thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy, but I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full!”
Moreover, this confidence to run freely with the gifts that God has uniquely given each of us throws the defense off their game, eliminating the ability for negative thoughts to cause us to lose any yardage. Habits that lean on numbing agents, like social media, binge-watching TV, and substance abuse may seem effective at first, but they actually keep us stuck in a “huddle” of anxiety and feed the very stress they are marketed to squash. Left to these (sometimes literal) devices, we will be staring down fourth and long before we realize it.
Thankfully we are not alone. We are seen by our Savior, and He has given us salvation through His Son, unlimited guidance through the Holy Spirit, and a Living Word to act as our Playbook, and the best news of all is He’s already gotten the “W!”
One Response
Amen! Thank you Jesus!