Practice Practice 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.” Philippians 4:9

As I came across these words of Paul, my mind jolted back to something I read many years ago. It was a book on marriage.

The author said, “Whatever you practice in your daily life is what you will eventually become.”

She was teaching on the kind of attitude we have towards our spouses. If we practice bitterness, we will become bitter older women. If we practice laziness, we will become lazy.

So, here, I see Paul in the book of Philippians telling us to put into practice these things that we have been taught through God’s Word.

I shared with you a few months ago that I had begun to journal my gratitude as soon as I roll out of bed each day. Grabbing my notebook and pen, I write down things that I am thankful for before I even have time to wipe the sleep from my eyes.

Recently, I read in a secular magazine that writing down gratitude actually sends a drip of dopamine and serotonin from the brain to our bodies to help us to feel good. Wow! Over and over God’s Word tells us to be thankful, to give thanks…continuously! Now, we see why. It is good for us. Even scientists are figuring this out.

Since reading Paul’s instructions to us in the book of Philippians this past week, I have really been thinking about what I am practicing every day. All of these little things that maybe go unnoticed because we are so used to practicing them, could be the reason for our lack of joy and lack of peace.

Notice, Paul tells us in the last line of that verse…”Then, the God of peace will be with you.”

So, if we practice these things…then, we have peace.

As we age, we are slowly molding into our older selves. What we practice is who we are becoming.

If I practice bitterness…I become bitter.

If I practice anxiety and worry…I become anxious.

If I practice anger…I become angry.

If I practice discontentment…I become discontented.

If I practice jealousy…I become jealous.

If I practice laziness…I become lazy.

However….

If I practice joy…I become joyful.

If I practice thankfulness…I become thankful.

If I practice faith…I become faithful.

If I practice forgiveness…I become forgiving.

If I practice being diligent in my work…I become diligent.

Today, as you go throughout your day. Go back to these words of Paul. In fact, read the entire book of Philippians and be encouraged. Paul is an excellent teacher and shows us how to practically apply these truths.

What have you been practicing? Talk to Jesus today. Ask Him to gently show you some areas or some habits that you may need to stop practicing. Also, ask Him what you need to put into practice instead.

As I am typing, some things are coming to mind about some practices I need to lay down. And some practices I need to put into place.

God is so faithful to help us in our time of need. We are never too old to begin a new practice. It doesn’t matter how old or how young we are….what we practice is what we will become.

Let’s practice gratitude! Let’s practice JOY!

Before we know it, it will become a habit we will want to forever continue.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 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. Philippians 4:8-9

keep practicing,

jill