~ Train. And then try again ~

D
uring my walk yesterday morning, I
was watching Life Today with
John and Betty Robinson and
they were talking about the very
common term - "Try, Try Again".
This is something I grew up hearing

from my mom and dad

and it is definitely something I hear myself saying to my kids all the time.

It is very encouraging, but is it specific enough to accomplish success?

Also on the show was author, Dallas Willard. He spoke about his new book

The Divine Conspiracy

As I listened to Dallas share about his book I grew more and more interested...

He was talking about how we as Christians get stuck in a day to day drudgery and only have this tunnel vision with idea that Christianity is first and foremost an "admittance into heaven" and a large percentage of Christians live their lives with the idea that they can't really have a relationship with Christ now.

Instead, Dallas was encouraging people to disregard the thoughts of

being obedient to Christ to be thought of as "out of the question or impossible",
but to repent the complacent lives they are living and
educate themselves as to what 
Christ truly had in mind when he said to go be His disciples.

He encouraged them to
"Train. And then try again."

This example Willard used was if you do something and it fails and you are told to

try, try again - and you don't change anything - well that is going to bring the same result and quite possibly more frustration and it will very likely push you to want to give-up.

The term, "Train. And then try again" seems, to me,

to be a forward-thinking idea to bring a different result and be more likely to be a success.

While studying this - this morning, I can't help but think about being a parent.

Am I training up Christian men that will live their lives striving each day to be more Christ-like?

Loving their neighbors and turning the other cheek?

To live their lives seeking to be in God's presence at all moments or just with the end in sight?

My mom, my sisters, a few gals and I are doing a 30 day prayer for our kids and grand kids.

This was yesterday's prayer:

Let faithfulness never leave our children, but bind this virtue around their necks.

Yikes, huh. The whole things gives me goosebumps and I can't help but think, am I living a luke-warm life for Jesus? Or is it bound around my neck and am I on fire for him!
Am I being a good example for my kids?

Am I challenging my every thought and action and inspiring them to be pleasing to Christ?

Every. Single. Thought?

Every. Single. Action?

Yeahhhh... prolly not.

I don't know about you but if I don't keep close track of myself, undoubtedly, I'll stray.
I get to thinking - WOW! I'm doing amazing! I'm feeling good and SO peaceful. I forget that the reason that I am doing so good and feeling good is because I've been training myself to abide and stay in the Word.

I forget and then I get stuck in a ditch.

I get sucked into everyday life, everyday problems, everyday drama...
and round and round I go.

I have to remind myself daily that I'm not being asked to be an everyday follower of Christ, a mediocre believer, a sideline contender...

I am being asked to be a mighty warrior for Christ!
A follower that is set apart from the World.

Which means I have to deny myself daily

and give my life up to God for his plan and purpose,

to love others and strive to love them as Christ does,

to obey God and follow his commandments.

Slow to speak; quick to listen,

gentle and kind,

humble and meek,

courageous and brave.

I have to keep training myself daily to be more like Christ and

keep alert to Satan's potholes that

will, without a doubt, cause me to stumble if I let them.

and I have to do this

Every. Single. Day.

Train - everyday.
and try again - everyday.

I truly believe that eventually, my boys will see my example -

my dedication to His mission...

 

For not only do I need to strive daily to give God my whole heart and soul

for whatever he chooses to have me do...

but everyday I need to continue assisting in training up my boys, and pray that one day they will have it in their hearts to want to do the same.

This desire in my heart will, undoubtedly, effect their lives but eventually their families' lives...