Secure in Him

In high school, I had the privilege of being part of an incredible girls’ basketball program. I pushed myself at every practice, stayed late to get in extra shots and never wanted to let my teammates or coach down. I craved that feeling of knowing I had earned their approval and trust. I wanted them to be pleased with me.

We had dreamed about this moment, and now it was finally here — the state championship. The culmination of years of hard work, early mornings and hours of shooting had led to this game. As the clock ticked down, everything seemed to slow. I caught the pass, scanned the court and saw our post player double-teamed. There was no way to get the ball to her. The clock was running out, so I took the shot. It arced high, clean and rotated beautifully, then swished through the net. Suddenly, we were in a full-on dogpile at center court, celebrating like crazy teenagers.

We were state champions! It was everything I’d dreamed of — Or was it?

Something unexpected happened in the days after. Instead of the lasting joy I thought I’d feel, there was a persistent emptiness I couldn’t shake. Sure, the recognition was fun — fans and coaches celebrated us — but it didn’t last. Soon, everyone else moved on. Was this all there was to winning something we’d worked so hard for? The satisfaction faded, and before I knew it, the pressure to please everyone again — for next season — was already weighing in.

Looking back, I realized I wasn’t chasing a trophy; — I was chasing approval from other people. I craved that “Well done” from coaches, teammates, parents — anyone who could tell me I was valuable. I desperately wanted to feel worthy and like I measured up. To me, winning felt like the only way to fill that hole. 

As coaches and athletes, we can easily fall into the trap of people-pleasing. We think we can earn love by constantly chasing approval, working harder and measuring our worth by the numbers on a scoreboard. But what if that’s not the full story? 

Choose Christ Over the Crowd

In Mark 1:11, right before Jesus starts His public ministry, God speaks these words over Him: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

At this point, Jesus hadn’t done anything — no miracles, no sermons, no mission to the cross. Yet, God spoke words of approval over Him simply because of who He was — God’s Son – not because of what He’d done.

Chase Christ, Not Approval

When we understand that God sees us through the lens of Jesus' death and resurrection, everything changes. Jesus has already shown us that God’s love is enough. It’s not something we have to earn or prove — it’s secured through His sacrifice on the cross.

What does this mean for us? It means we no longer need to strive for approval. Instead, we can live from a place of security and freedom found in a relationship with Jesus. The pressure to please others fades because our worth isn’t found in their approval, it’s in Jesus' finished work on our behalf (Ephesians 2:4-5). 

Seek Christ's Approval Over People's Praise

“For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10

You can’t serve two masters. Ultimately, we’re either living to please and glorify Christ or living to please someone else. Trying to please anyone other than Christ puts us in conflict with how He invites us to live.

Whether you’re in the middle of your coaching career, your athletic career or life’s challenges, glorifying God is what truly matters most. You don’t have to earn His love, approval or affirmation. It’s already yours. You are His beloved child, and He is well-pleased with you — not because of what you’ve done, but because of who you are in Christ. When we start to live out of this truth, it changes everything.