Hard Work

I love the game of golf. I am constantly looking for ways to make my game better. I’ve tried new clubs and  have even bought new golf shoes knowing it would help. I have tried different types of balls that have long and straight printed on them knowing they would make me hit long and straight. I have bought into the myth that you can skip all the pain and expense of practice to play better. Some of you know were I am going with this.

I just want to know the bible well. I want God to be able use me for this or that right now. I want to skip the learning process and the growing process and be as effective in evangelism as ………..!  I read in some book or heard in a sermon once, “Standing in a garage doesn’t make you a mechanic any more than standing in church makes you a christian.” You mean I have to actually go through the motions? I have to build a realationship with God? That is so much work you might say.

When truly seeking a relationship with God, that means committing to practice. I know, it would be so much easier if we could hit the easy button. If I went out to the golf course today and played like Tiger Woods all because I hit an easy button, I really wouldn’t feel satisfied. The victory was given to me, not earned. It’s in the practice that I grow and learn who God really is and what He wants for my life. It’s in this process we find our relationship with Him. The truth is, if you want Joy in Christ in your life, you have to put in the time and discipline. There is no other way.

We also have to be careful not to be over confident as we grow. In the process of learning to play golf I experienced what it is to be humbled. I went to play a round of golf with my father-in-law and a friend of ours. I was feeling pretty good because I had worked so hard on my swing and had gotten alot better. We had already played a couple of holes and I was doing really well. As we came to the next tee box I was up to hit first because I finished the previous hole in less hit’s than they did. Feeling confident, I stepped up to the tee box. I thought, this is a fairly wide fairway and I am hitting straight so I am going to show off a little and hit it as hard and long as I can. So I hit it and it was beautiful. It couldn’t have gone straighter or longer. I stepped back from the tee box proud as could be. Soon, that moment of confidence was overturned when my friend said, “that was a great shot but the green is in the opposite direction.” I had hit the ball the wrong way sure I was hitting it the right way and felt so confident about it. I pray for all of us that we seek and desire a life spent with God. I pray that we have the strength to do the work involved in a relationship with Him. I pray that we have success in the process of learning with Him. I pray that we will not become over confident. Know that He will put us in our place if we do.