Preparing For Any Scenario

One of the more intriguing storylines during this year's NFL preseason has been the one involving defensive superstar Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams.

Although Donald hasn’t played in either of the past two seasons after announcing his retirement in March of 2023, reports have stated that Los Angeles' decision to trade for star defensive end Myles Garrett has led Donald to begin contemplating a potential return to football. 

A major reason this storyline is so intriguing is that there is still a ton of uncertainty surrounding what decision Donald will ultimately make. 

The news from Los Angeles is that Donald wants to see how his body responds to the grueling demands of gridiron competition before he makes a final decision.

The Rams have accommodated this desire by allowing Donald to participate in a couple of team workouts without forcing him to endure the full daily rigors of camp.

It appears that Donald's current plan is to participate in additional workouts before deciding whether to don the pads during the regular season.

Obviously, this makes things a little tricky for the Rams, as the regular season is rapidly approaching, and Donald's decision will significantly impact how Los Angeles' roster and depth chart shake out.

For the Rams to be successful, regardless of which decision Donald makes, it will undoubtedly take tremendous preparation and readiness from many people.

The front office has to be prepared to construct the roster with or without Donald. The coaching staff needs to be prepared with a game plan to optimize Donald's abilities if he is present, and an approach that works in his absence.

Meanwhile, the other players on the defensive line must be prepared to step into larger roles if Donald decides to remain retired. 

In football, more generally, the best teams are always prepared for whatever might come their way. A team that hasn’t thought through all the scenarios that could transpire throughout a season and prepared accordingly will inevitably suffer for it.

Just like the adage goes, "Failure to prepare is preparing to fail." Of course, there are always surprises and things a team can't exactly prepare for, but being prepared to handle surprises is beneficial.

As followers of Jesus, we can’t overstate the importance of adequate preparation in our lives. Life is filled with constant ups and downs and unexpected twists. The key for believers is to be prepared to handle those situations before they even occur.

The best way to handle trials and adversity is to adopt a proper mindset and be ready for any battle or scenario ahead of time. Understanding God's purpose amid life's challenges gives us the right perspective to move forward with hope and joy.

In the meantime, having our appropriate spiritual armor already in place gives us the strength and fervor to persevere.

Ephesians 6:11-13 (ESV) says, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm."

Though it’s good and right to turn to the Word of God and prayer when we face difficult times, it’s better by far to have already been immersed in prayer and Scripture before we face those difficulties.

Naturally, this principle can be applied to many different areas of Christian life. 

Another example would be in providing biblical counsel. When people come to us to share their struggles and challenges, are we prepared to point them to the truth of God's Word so they can be thoroughly equipped to respond as God desires?

Proverbs 15:23 (NASB) states, "A person has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!"

It goes without saying that our ability to give a "timely word" will be proportional to how much we have studied Scripture to know what God says about a certain topic.

Though it’s impossible to know what situations we will encounter in the future, we can know for certain that God's Word is sufficient to prepare us for everything we need for life and godliness (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3).

As such, it’s up to us to be students of the Bible so we can respond with wisdom to whatever may come our way.

Today, let's take the necessary steps to prepare for any scenario we face in life, strengthening our hearts through prayer and Scripture so we're ready for anything.

I'm Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me everything I need for life and godliness. Please help me to be disciplined in prayer and reading the Bible so I might best glorify You, whatever comes my way. Also, please help me prepare to counsel others wisely and effectively. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.