Practice Doesn't Make Perfect; It Just Makes You Old
Allow me to be blunt. I see in our present church culture a spiritual "failure to launch." In the circle of churches my church belongs to, we talk a lot about finding destiny, and about fulfilling God's purpose in our lives.
Yet, the reality for many (and I'm preaching to myself here) is that we spend hours figuring out our gift mix, being mentored, working on our character, serving to serve (but not necessarily placed strategically) and PRACTICING.
As adults, sometimes we forget that the purpose of PRACTICE? Is to actually get into the game and play our hearts out. We practice for so long, trying to perfect our game---that we become comfortable sitting on the bench----and think it's normal to watch others and cheer them on---rather than actually advancing to the batting cage, and running the bases ourselves.
I'm done practicing. I'm choosing to start playing, even if I get thrown out at first to start.
5 Principles Helping me with Destiny
1. My destiny belongs squarely in the hands of Jesus, no one else.
He is the one who prepared before the foundation of the world the good works I would walk in. I do not need to impress man to have a door opened. Men only open doors God has already opened, and the heart of a King (or pastor) is like channels of water to God. Likewise, if a door remains shut? I cannot blame a leader---I have to contend with God, and find out why He has closed the door.
2. To fulfill my destiny, I need to hear God's voice and obey.
That's it, in a nutshell. I don't need to read 5 books on spiritual gifts, 3 on vision, 3 on leadership, and 8 on character. I need to spend time with Jesus, get his heart for my life, my day, my week---and then go out and do it.
3. Destiny includes the little decisions we make daily for good.
Cups of cold water count. God is not nearly as hung up on the "big" things as we are. He's not going to ask how many times we got to preach, or prophesy. We don't always see that we are fulfilling our destiny when we have a conversation with a child, when we send an encouraging note, when we give a ride to someone without one. If we can't categorize it and put it on a list to mark off, we don't think we've done anything. I think we will be surprised at what was recorded on our behalf. Apostles aren't the only ones with destiny and destiny isn't always about tomorrow. I bet you've already done something great today.
4. For most of us, our role in the marketplace, is our greatest spiritual contribution and place of destiny.
When I was trying to decide my vocation, I had more God moments and confirmations of entering the teaching profession than any other single decision I've ever made. I know that I am in God's will in my job. Yet, like many other Christians, it has often been tough to assign Kingdom value to my life away from church. It can feel that the only thing that matters in eternity is that which we do within the 4 walls of the place we worship. I think that concept would have been foreign to New Testament believers. Church is where we are supposed to be equipped, not where we are supposed to shine.
5. Perfect character is not required.
Character matters, to be sure. But the Bible is chock full of men and women of destiny who had seriously screwed up character. God chose them anyway. God used them anyway. Awhile back I took a church history class from my pastor. It seriously offended me to find out how flawed many of the "great" leaders in church history were. And how big they blew it. And how God chose and used them anyway.
We CANNOT afford to wait until we conquer just one more thing before we get in the game. There is a dying world out there and WE ARE THE HOPE OF THE WORLD. Hell, the world doesn't even want us to be perfect. They just want us to stop being so arrogant.
I am not perfect. I can hit a baseball over the fence---but I have to be good at bats, because I need a looong time to run. I have to play outfield because I don't think fast enough to play 2nd base. Just ask Bob Vanderbilt, my old softball coach.
I don't care anymore. I am not staying on the bench. I am going to find the heart of God for my life, and run after it. I'm going to stop reading so many books, and stop planning. I'm done practicing. I'm in the game and I'm going to do great things. And new things. And small things.
I don't think God is all that offended by leaders who fall. His blood has already covered them. I think God is much more offended by those of us who fail to launch and bury our talents. It shows an inherent lack of trust in His Father's heart.
Practice doesn't make perfect; it just makes us old. Join me in the game.