In this post I am going to attempt to explain how an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God feels about winning, and losing. The whole idea that the creation could explain what the creator thinks is absurd, but God does not conceal Himself completely.
So many times in my career I have seen players, who, in their conduct, seem to have no spiritual regard for anything, sit in their locker reading a Bible, praying, and listening to worship music before a game. It seems as if they are making a last ditch appeal to God to give them favor in the upcoming game. When you watch these players in the game you notice that sometimes they play well, and sometimes they don’t. They seem to have similar success to everyone else, winning some, losing some.
I’ve noticed the same results on the field from guys who have a strong faith, and those who have no faith at all.
If you pray to win, and your opponent prays to win, how does God choose whose prayer to grant? Does the person praying for victory while they compete believe that God favors them over their opponent?
Does God even consider such self-centered prayers?
It is possible that He does. If you pray for money and success, God may very well give those to you, knowing they will destroy you. He may allow this to happen so you will wake you up to the reality that your desire goes only as deep as the bottom of your heart, where He is. King Solomon asked for wisdom above all else, so God gave Him every possession and earthly desire he could imagine, in order that he may come to realize they would never satisfy him, which gave him wisdom. God had king Solomon earn his wisdom, and earned wisdom is the only true wisdom.
Do not also think that because you have worked hard and prayed to God for victory, like He is a genie in a bottle, that you deserve to win. Your faith will wane when you realize that isn’t how He operates. It is essentially asking God to give you your idols. He will go to the greatest lengths to get your attention, and certainly included in that is allowing you to lose. Neither does your hard work mean you deserve success, or that God owes you.
So, does God care if you win or lose? No, but sometimes yes, in so far as it puts you on a path towards Him. He does not play favorites, and He doesn’t act like a fan who loves one team or player over another. The outcomes of games, races and business deals are irrelevant to Him by themselves, but He will use these outcomes to draw in the people participating in them.
A win to evoke praise, a loss to spur trust, and both to foster work ethic and commitment.
God is not in the business of winning and losing, He’s in the business of molding.
Braden Bristo’s - The Journeyman’s Path 