Practice

March 22, 2019

I’ve often said you can’t get by trying what takes training to accomplish. I could try my hardest, grunting and groaning, but there’s no way I could bench press 300 lbs. I’d be hard pressed to do 200. Why? Because I haven’t trained. Trying doesn’t have the power to add muscle. People who do such feats have trained diligently, often for years, to be able to accomplish what they do. 

Of course, there is a measure of natural ability that plays into this. Take music, for example. I watched Jim, the pianist for the pit band, seemingly effortlessly running his fingers up and down the keyboard with melodies, arpeggios, and scales that simply amazed me. Linda works hard at playing the piano, and does quite well at it, but she would be the first to acknowledge that she will never attain Jim’s level of expertise, any more than I will be a great bassist, able to do the runs, melodies, and arpeggios that my bass instructor at the college handles with aplomb. 

But as anyone who has attempted it will tell you, talented musicians are a dime a dozen. I know people who have worked hard to break into the music scene in New York and Nashville, only to come home broke and wiser. Still, there is no substitute for practice. 

I went to jazz band rehearsal today, like I have dozens of times before. Opening the music folder, I pulled out and looked at the numbers listed on the board. “This is EASY!” was the only response that came to mind. Music that had once challenged me is now safely under my belt; the pieces I worked on for the school musical make everything else easy. I don’t have tons of talent, but I have put in my time, and it shows.

No matter what the endeavor, the principle holds true. Spiritual power, godly ability doesn’t just happen because we pray for it. It comes when we’ve been willing to put in the sweat equity necessary to develop spiritual muscles and muscle memory. I am grateful for this life principle; it gives me great hope for the future. When I repeatedly stumble over the same issue, I remember the music. Parts that once were such a challenge that I didn’t think I’d ever get it right, now flow from my fingers. I expect someday the same will be said about my soul.