Practice Makes Progress
As a mom of three boys, I’ve given a plethora of speeches over the years, and some I’ve given more than once. Whether they've had any impact or not, I may never know. But the one I tend to give the most is that “Practice makes progress.” Whether we’re talking about grades, sports, or a skill, it always applies. The more work we put into something, the more we get out of it.
Our youngest is a basketball player, and he loves the game more than anything else. But sometimes he thinks he knows it all and doesn’t do what he should. There have been games where his shot was off or he was slow on defense. At times, he’s been sluggish or outplayed by the other team. Most of the time, we can pinpoint the reason why. Maybe he’s stayed up too late, hasn’t done enough shooting practice, skipped some workouts, or eaten junk. All of those things can affect his performance.
The same is true for our spiritual lives. If we want to live an abundant Christian life and protect ourselves from the enemy, we must put in the work. We must stay rooted in God’s Word and put on His whole armor each and every day.
God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. - Ephesians 6:11-12 MSG
I can tell when I’ve allowed myself to get too busy, because my quiet time with Jesus is often the first thing that is missed. Often I don’t even realize it right away. Then I notice my temper is a little quicker, my attitude a little more sour, and everything is so much harder. We cannot do anything in our own strength.
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13 NLT
God doesn’t expect us to do everything perfectly. Notice I said, “Practice makes progress” not practice makes perfect. If perfection is our goal, we’ll fall short every time. God simply wants us to posture our hearts toward Him and strive to do better than we did yesterday. If we consistently read His Word, stay grounded in the Truth, and keep God at the center of our lives, we are submitting to His full control and allowing Him to work. He will always do far better than we ever could.
JOURNAL: Are you putting in the work right now in your lives? Is there an area that could use improvement?
ACTIVATION: Share something you could implement in your life that would help you do better today than you did yesterday and put it into practice.
PRAYER: God, I know I’m not perfect, and I make mistakes all the time. Thank you for loving me despite my shortcomings. Help me to recognize areas that need improvement and strive to make progress in those areas this week. Keep my eyes on You and help me to stay rooted in Your Word. For it is You, and You alone, who can be trusted with every aspect of my life. Thank You for being patient with me. Amen
Our youngest is a basketball player, and he loves the game more than anything else. But sometimes he thinks he knows it all and doesn’t do what he should. There have been games where his shot was off or he was slow on defense. At times, he’s been sluggish or outplayed by the other team. Most of the time, we can pinpoint the reason why. Maybe he’s stayed up too late, hasn’t done enough shooting practice, skipped some workouts, or eaten junk. All of those things can affect his performance.
The same is true for our spiritual lives. If we want to live an abundant Christian life and protect ourselves from the enemy, we must put in the work. We must stay rooted in God’s Word and put on His whole armor each and every day.
God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. - Ephesians 6:11-12 MSG
I can tell when I’ve allowed myself to get too busy, because my quiet time with Jesus is often the first thing that is missed. Often I don’t even realize it right away. Then I notice my temper is a little quicker, my attitude a little more sour, and everything is so much harder. We cannot do anything in our own strength.
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:13 NLT
God doesn’t expect us to do everything perfectly. Notice I said, “Practice makes progress” not practice makes perfect. If perfection is our goal, we’ll fall short every time. God simply wants us to posture our hearts toward Him and strive to do better than we did yesterday. If we consistently read His Word, stay grounded in the Truth, and keep God at the center of our lives, we are submitting to His full control and allowing Him to work. He will always do far better than we ever could.
JOURNAL: Are you putting in the work right now in your lives? Is there an area that could use improvement?
ACTIVATION: Share something you could implement in your life that would help you do better today than you did yesterday and put it into practice.
PRAYER: God, I know I’m not perfect, and I make mistakes all the time. Thank you for loving me despite my shortcomings. Help me to recognize areas that need improvement and strive to make progress in those areas this week. Keep my eyes on You and help me to stay rooted in Your Word. For it is You, and You alone, who can be trusted with every aspect of my life. Thank You for being patient with me. Amen
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