By Renaissance Girl 

 

Practice. From the time I was a 6-year-old child taking piano lessons, I wanted to know how I could sound like Beethoven quickly. I couldn’t believe there wasn’t another way other than daily practice. There isn’t. And I’ve been learning recently that practice applies to spiritual life as well. We don’t just hit the ground after birth with a disciplined life and daily relationship with Jesus all in place. It takes practice.

 

I’m discovering places that my lack of practice has left my spiritual muscles weak. Especially in the daily act of turning to Jesus with everything. Too often I get stuck in my own thoughts which never give me the best answer. Stopping my mind and turning to Jesus takes practice. I understand how downhill skiers must feel crashing and tumbling until they can make the turn on their feet. But in the practice, we make progress.

 

And I know God sees it. I was praying this morning, and having spilled out everything I wanted to say to God, I asked, “what do you want to say to me?” I opened up Echoes of Eternity, the devotional by Rev. Hal Helms. I laughed out loud when I read the last sentence of today’s reading: “Do not delay in coming to Me in every situation you face — prayer will make a difference, but it must be practiced.”