YOU CAN’T HIRE SOMEONE TO PRACTICE
I Corinthians 9:25-27
And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things . . . But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away.
Friday evening, my son and his wife took us to see the Philadelphia Phillies play the St. Louis Cardinals in Philadelphia. It was a fun evening for all of us, but for each of those baseball players on the field, it represented countless hours of practice and a lot of hard work. They didn’t arrive at that level of skill, fame and fortune without a lot of self-discipline and self sacrifice.
In the little book, A Hero In Every Heart, author H. Jackson Brown, Jr. writes “You can’t hire someone to practice for you�. That’s the truth! No matter what area of life it is, you can’t let someone else do the workouts, and expect to develop the skill yourself. If you want to be a great at anything, YOU have to do the practicing.
Even in your spiritual life, you can’t depend on someone else to do the work and then have the peace and joy of a rich spiritual walk yourself. It is easy to think, “If my pastor preached better sermons, or if my Bible study leader put more into her lessons, then I’d be more spiritual.� No, if you want to be spiritual, YOU have to discipline yourself to take the time to read God’s Word, to study it and to meditate on the truths that you find there (Psalm 1:2). YOU have to spend time in prayer (Col. 4:2). YOU have to discipline your mind to shut out impure thoughts (II Cor. 10:5), and to think on things that are pure and right (Phil. 4:.8). YOU have to watch your tongue and the way you speak (Col. 4:6). YOU have to be faithful to fellowship with other believers (Col 3:16), and to worship God (Psalm 100:4).
I encourage you, my friend, to exercise the disciplines necessary to develop that close and fulfilling relationship with Jesus Christ. Take time today and every day this week to read God’s Word. If you don’t know where to start, pick up your Bible and read through the book of Psalms, a chapter or two a day. Or you can go to one of the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, and begin there. These books will inspire and teach you. Then take time to talk to your Heavenly Father. The blessings you receive will be unlimited. Just remember, though, “You can’t hire someone to practice for you.�
Lord, I love being in Your presence, and spending time with You; but there are so many distractions to take my time and attention away from You. Help me to be disciplined and to stay focused so that I may deepen my relationship with You.
By Ann Shorb
Copyright 2007
