Day 7: Go! Beyond the Workout

I constantly heard the same three words from my mother. Whether I was heading off to football practice, sitting down for piano lessons, or trying desperately to learn algebra, her refrain was always the same: “Practice makes perfect!”. And, as with most motherly advice, the adage holds up to actual science. 

A study conducted by a Florida State University researcher found that around 10 years or 10,000 hours of practice in a particular skill is required to propel people from good to great. Famed pop psychology writer Malcom Gladwell even went as far as to tie the ‘10,000 hour theory’ to the success of the Beatles and Bill Gates. Whether you agree with 10,000 being a magical number or not, there’s no doubt that how we practice can make or break our success in this world. 

But practice is only one side of the equation. There has to be a game, a place where those hours and skills come to life. We can have the desire to be great and strive to master our craft, but without the opportunity to execute in meaningful situations, it doesn’t matter.

I think this is why Jesus emphasized the word “go” so heavily in His teaching. Look at Matthew 28:19-20:

For Jesus, it wasn’t just about us learning. It was also about us going and doing. 

That truth is easy to forget. We can get caught up in “getting fed” as Christians. And yes, a great spiritual meal and being filled up by the word of God is important. But the Gospel challenges us to not only be fed, but to go and feed others! As Paul says in Philippians 4:9:

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

We need to learn to move from practicing something to actually putting it INTO practice. 

If you’re reading this devotional, it’s likely you’ve spent the last seven days training more than physical muscles. You’ve been refined by God’s truth as you’ve checked your motives at the door and practiced denying your flesh in the midst of hardship. We can go into that same training through disciplines like praying, corporate worship, or reading God’s word. In the end, we need to be able to translate all of that practice into impact for Him: in our families, at work, on the field, and in our communities. Everywhere. 

So let’s get to it. After this devo, after this workout, let’s GO!

Post-Workout Reflection

1. Who or what am I feeling called to go and engage?

2. What was the largest area of impact for me over these last 7 days of FaithFit devotions and workouts?