Growth takes Effort

I’ve recently decided that I would like to learn how to play the guitar. I have a little musical knowledge from playing the piano growing up, but other than that my guitar playing skills are minimal at this point. I found a program online to use to teach me the basics, but I have to watch those videos over and over again. It can be frustrating, especially because I just want to be able to play and know it by heart. But it really doesn’t work that way. And neither does our relationship with God.

To memorize chords and notes takes effort, to learn how to play the guitar with the proper technique takes practice, and it takes time. In the same way, to memorize and know Scripture takes effort, to try and be like Jesus is something you will have to practice every single day, and it ultimately takes time to build a relationship with him.

When it comes to learning how to play the guitar, the more time and effort I put into it, the more I’m going to get out of it. When it comes to my walk with Christ, the more time and effort I put into it, the more I’m going to get out of it. So often I feel like God can be so distant and so far away. I can get angry when I don’t feel God’s presence or don’t think He is listening to my prayers. But when I take a step back and put things in perspective, it is actually me that is the problem. I’m the one who is distancing myself from God and not taking the time out of my day to spend with him. I’m the one that gets my priorities mixed up and spends all my energy and effort elsewhere.

But in the moments that I actually do decide to take a break from everything else going on in my life and truly focus on God, it is amazing how close his presence feels. If we want to build a relationship with God, it takes time, patience, and effort. It won’t be perfected overnight, but day by day, if you truly work at it, you will continue to learn and experience more and more of God’s goodness. James 4:7-8 says,

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

Submit and surrender to God. Give him everything you have. Draw near to him, and start experiencing his presence and unconditional love the way He wants us to experience it.

“Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential."

–Winston Churchill