Keep practicing (Part 1)

"Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them." 1 Timothy 4:15

King Saul was attacked by evil spirits that tormented and immoblized him. So he sent for David to come and play his harp. As David played, "Relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him" (1Sa 16:23). This story teaches us two things: the power of praise, and the power of practice. David didn't suddenly discover his talent when he arrived at Saul's palace. No, he developed it through years of practice on lonely hillsides while tending his father's sheep.
When it comes to practice, the two most difficult challenges you face are (a) having the desire to do it, and (b) having the discipline to keep at it. Paul tells Timothy, "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life...closely. Persevere" (1Ti 4:15-16). There is no easy way to become a disciplined person. It has nothing to do with talent or ability. It is not a matter of conditions, but of choice. But once the choice is made and practice becomes a habit, 2 things become obvious. The first is a clear difference between the person who practices and the one who doesn't. Cyclist Lance Armstrong said, "Success comes from training harder and digging deeper than others." And he should know; he won a record 7 Tour de France championships. The second thing that emerges is a winning spirit. The harder you work, the harder it becomes to surrender to things like fatigue, complacency, discouragement, criticism, and all the other stuff that tries to break your stride.