462. Pressure Reveals Weakness
It is now playoff season for basketball. I don't pay too much attention to regular-season games, but playoff basketball is a whole other thing, as teams compete for a championship. There is a lot more drama and heightened intensity, which makes the game so much more interesting. But this is also when some players succumb to the pressure, but great players rise above the challenge. And what makes that difference is the preparation done during the offseason. Those who have prepared well use the less-pressured regular season as “practice” for their new skill set and perform at their best when it counts and the pressure is high.
I used to play on a high school soccer team. I played pretty well in tryouts, so I made the cut. I did well in team practice, so I was given a starting role. But when the tournament began, I got nervous and played pretty poorly. It is not a good memory. But now that I recall those moments, I know I should’ve added personal training on top of team practice because I only practiced with the team. If I could go back, I would probably work on my skills privately and add weightlifting to better prepare myself for the actual game.
In the same way, weaknesses in our spiritual life are usually not visible until trials and pressures of life come. That is when we must realize we lack practice in that area. For example, if someone always complains when things get tight, it is a sign that they need to practice giving thanks in small things, even when life is mundane. If someone panics every time things don't go as planned, it is a sign that they need to practice trusting God with their daily plans and being flexible with the small changes that happen in a day.
The reason why practice in spiritual life is important is that practice makes "permanent". Whatever we repeatedly do, whether good or bad, becomes permanent. The trajectory of our thoughts, certain responses, and words we repeatedly choose in non-pressured moments is a preparation, or “practice,” for crucial, high-pressure moments that can elevate or overwhelm us. That's why many professional basketball players practice free throws first. Repeating a simple shooting stroke without defenders helps them mentally and physically prepare for all other contested shots they will take in the actual game.
When we find ourselves making poor choices or responding unhealthily again in pressured moments, that is the time to recognize what we have been practicing in our daily lives. What kept the prophet Daniel unfazed in the lion's den was his daily prayer, even when no one was watching.
