Tuesday, August 12, 2014

I really hate the saying, "Practice makes perfect." There are a lot of variables that could occur that make it false. Take a kid who has played softball for 5 years. During that time she practiced more than what a normal kid her age would practice. Then comes time to play high school ball. Her coaches think she's a dedicated player, but despite all the time she has put into playing, she never earns a starting position in her high school career. Why? Because practice does not make perfect....it makes permanent. If you're practicing over and over....those repetitions make your actions permanent. You can practice how to swing a bat over and over, but if you're swinging like you're playing a game of golf, you're never gonna be a great softball hitter. Practice makes permanent. Careful what you practice because that's what you'll do.
Take a look at your faith. Are you doing what you should....everyday....to make your faith permanent? Once I really started looking at this topic, I realized that my answer is absolutely no. It is ridiculously easy to put yourself on "cruise control." Know what I mean? Things are quiet in your life, conflicts at a minimum, no major crisis dominating your thinking....so you kinda end up putting life on cruise control and just coast along. That time is when I find myself not as focused on what I should be doing to grow in my walk with Christ. It makes me mad at myself. I want to be driving my life ever closer to God and that doesn't happen when the cruise is set. And then before you know it, cruising becomes your permanent. Remember, practice makes permanent.
There are several things that God calls us to do, daily. Because daily means engaged, focused, habit...permanent. God gives us specific instructions that we are to practice daily. 1 Thessalonians chapters 4 and 5 talk a lot about instructions that Christians are given to follow daily. He wants us to practice daily so that our faith becomes permanent. Verse 16 in chapter 5 tells us "Be joyful always." I have no doubt that there are several moments during my week where I am not joyful, but I should be. Joy is often a choice. The more you choose joy, the more it just becomes a default mode for your life. Its hard to be joyful when the dog has thrown up on the floor, a pen has leaked inside your favorite purse, and the children are emulating WWE wrestling till it turns more into WW3. But, there is always joy and God instructs us to be joyful, always. Rejoice that God is who He is and that you are called to be His child, saved by the blood of Christ....nothing can trump the joy of knowing Him! Practicing joy will make it permanent in your life!!
We are called to "pray continually" in 5:17. Careful not to use prayer as your last resort. Doing so will never yield the relationship that your heart desires with God. If you never take time to just spend with someone, how do you grow in that relationship? You don't. He doesn't say for us to pray when things are overwhelming or stressful or desperate....but to pray continually. Invite Him into your life, every day, every moment. You may feel like there's not enough time in your day to spend in prayer. And that lie is easy to remember when that's what is being practiced in your life. He's not saying that we should be praying every moment, but repeatedly throughout your day. Ya gotta make it a habit to be in His presence. Practice prayer and it will be permanent and present throughout your day.
I don't know about you, but when my kids are fighting, I am not giving thanks about the circumstance. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, He tells us "give thanks in all circumstances." Wow! That is a hard one to put into perspective, if you're not practicing it. I should be giving thanks in the midst of the bickering of my children...my children are with me. Even when you don't feel like it, GIVE THANKS! The more often you purposely practice this, the easier it becomes. We are to be thankful during the quiet times in our lives and the difficult. Practicing thankfulness, even when we don't feel like being thankful, will result in having a thankful heart. This happens because practice makes permanent.
I need to remember to dismantle my cruise control and be faithful and purposeful in obeying what God has called me to do. I have made it my goal to practice my faith daily so that I am always in the safety of His presence. Will you make the same goal with me?

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3 comments:

  1. Great article, love the saying "Practice makes permanent. Careful what you practice because that's what you'll do." Will be stealing it, lol.

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  2. There are some great ideas here in this post. Something I want to think on more. Thank you for sharing.

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  3. That's a great phrase! Practice makes permanent. I think habit and spiritual disciplines are way more important than I realized when I was younger. I want my practice to be habit-forming in the very best way!

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