Practice Makes...

There is a fallacy in the saying, “practice makes perfect”. Many people practice a multitude of things each day. Some practice their favorite sport, either hitting a hundred golf balls at the driving range, baseballs at the batting cages, or dribbling and shooting at the basketball court. Other people practice an instrument, piano, trumpet, drums or dozens of others. Anyone can tell you that they practice, becoming better at their given sport or instrument but they have never achieved perfection. Their practice improves their technique, their muscle memory, their strength, and even how their mind handles every situation they face as they participate in their skill or hobby. 

A friend told me, as we were playing a round of golf, that if I broke 100 it would mean that I had quit doing my job to be able to spend all the hours of practice it would take me to improve. He didn’t have much hope in my improvement because I was not going to spend the kind of time needed for me to get any better. I didn’t have the dedication or commitment needed to practice enough to improve.

Any time you practice it can be physically painful and mentally challenging. Practice reveals the inner commitment of a person. All of which is based on the hope that they will improve and achieve success.

1 John 2:28-29 discusses how believers, little children, abide in the righteousness of Christ. We show this commitment by how we practice righteousness. Believers are to become more and more like Christ.

We will never become perfect at being righteous this side of heaven, but we are to put the time, energy and commitment into our practice. Just as an athlete or musician must practice to hone their skill and ability so is the believer to hone their life to become more like Christ. A believer who spends time allowing the Word of God permeate their life will learn how to improve their technique of how to face daily decisions in life. Their repetitive practice of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide their words, actions and attitude improves their “muscle memory”, making it a little easier each day to display the righteousness of God. Relying on the peace of God, in the struggles and challenges of life, will build our strength to walk with hope.

Do your actions and responses to life display the righteousness of Christ?

How are you practicing righteousness every day? Are you reading the Bible and changing the parts of your life that it shows you is not like the righteousness of Christ?

How much time and commitment are you giving to strengthen your spiritual life?

What is holding you back from being more committed to practicing righteousness?

Romans 5:3-6 gives an answer to any question of how or why we think we cannot be committed enough to practicing righteousness. Through the power of Christ and His commitment to us, we can overcome any obstacle that keeps us from becoming more like Christ.

3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

He died for you, will you live for Him today?