You Play Like You Practice

The Spiritual Realm vs. The Physical Realm

Eternal Vs. Temporary

At the end of last weeks blog I answered the question “How can a loving God allow such bad thing?” My answer was four simple words…To strengthen your faith. I also wrote: The only way to understand this is to think eternally and not worldly.

Faith is not a physical word. We can’t touch it or test it with science or measure it or put it in a bottle. Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Actual faith is unseen but the by product is evident to all… your actions and reactions to bad situations.

If you fill up a glass with soda, what is in the glass? If you fill up a car with gas, what is in the car? The only incident where a container was filled with something and something else came out (nothing added and no hokey ceremonies or science) was when Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11).

If you put too much soda in a glass, soda comes out…and it’s sticky. If you put too much gas in a car, gas comes out…and it stinks. This concept is true of the heart, too. If you put too much temporary, worldly junk into your heart, junk will come out. If you put the eternal, spiritual Word into your heart, love will come out.

We spend this whole lifetime practicing for the spiritual life while focusing on putting temporary junk in our soul. For example: We focus on who has wronged us (temporary, worldly) instead of forgiveness (eternal, spiritual). We rant, use hurtful words and share horrible posts because we can be anonymous behind a screen (temporary, worldly) instead of using words of Life and building other up (eternal, spiritual). We think more about the FB posts we missed when we wake up (temporary, worldly) than we do about cracking open God’s Word and searching for the words he has for us to fuel our day with hope (spiritual, eternal). We think more about our organizing our clutter (temporary, worldly) than we do about selling everything and following Jesus (eternal, spiritual).

This whole temporary life is about practicing for the eternal life to come. Ever heard the phrase: You play like you practice and you practice like you play? Are you rehearsing for eternity now and listening to the Coach? Are you getting pointers from the Rule Book and putting them into ‘game’? Are you examining ways to make plays better by changing your direction? Are you communicating with others so you can perform a smooth and positive outcome?

Romans 12:2 says don’t conform to the patterns of this world…think spiritually.

Have you ever heard the phrase: You get out what you put into it? It’s talking about hard work, and it also applies to spiritual issues too. You will only get eternity on the other side if you put eternity in on this side. It is hard work to train your brain to think eternally. It takes effort. It may involve pain. It might involve rejection and jeers. Hummmmm…sounds like someOne I know who laid down his life for me! Jesus put his whole life up on a cross…for me. It took effort and it involved much pain...for me. He was rejected and spit upon…for me.  

Challenge: make a list of what you practice. Be honest. Do you practice gossip? Do you practice tearing others down? Do you practice unforgiveness? Do you practice course joking? Do you practice putting something, anything before God? Do you practice maintaining worldly security more that eternal security? Who do you practice for? Do you practice for yourself? Your friends? Your boss?

Pray about how to practice for the Coach who you will see in eternity, by faith in Jesus Christ.