Out Of Practice

Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

“What? No. Look again; we have to have paper plates!” I called back to Aaron. He was combing through our basement pantry even as I frantically searched for our rectangular serving platters, opening and shutting kitchen cupboards, wracking my brain for when we’d last used them and what on earth I’d done with them.

In the end, we hosted our first BBQ after two summers of canceled plans with no platters and a small stack of flimsy paper plates we’d found tucked in a forgotten corner. We’d also had to text one of our guests (a good friend of ours), sheepishly asking them to pick up American cheese for cheeseburgers and ice for the cooler as they passed the nearest grocery store.

“Well. We’re clearly out of practice.” Sighing, I dropped onto the couch next to Aaron hours later, happily tired but also slightly frustrated. “How did we forget the cheese and ice and not think to check on plates?”

“Everyone was happy to be together again, and that’s what counts the most. We’ll get back into the swing of hosting. It’s just one of those things that require consistency.”

Aaron was right. When we were entertaining regularly, we had established patterns and practices that had gotten rusty during our long hiatus. Restarting felt a lot like starting from scratch as we bumbled around, and that was initially discouraging. But as I reflect on the experience, I appreciate the lesson found in pressing out of inertia and through the difficulty, back to the worthwhile practice of opening our home.

There is value in rebooting the good habits we’ve let slip—for whatever reason. Prioritize spiritual practices that create intimacy with God and that encourage you to love those around you. Have you gotten out of the habit of talking to God? Chat with him while you apply your deodorant and brush your teeth. Have you stopped being part of a faith community? Set Sunday mornings aside to visit churches until you find the right one.

It’s okay to admit that you are out of practice, but don’t stay stuck in that inertia. Life is too short, and your calling is too valuable to remain sidelined.

Julie

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Prayerfully consider what spiritual practice you need to reboot. Start now.