Unfamiliar grounds

I had tuition with George today. Towards the last 20 minutes of our lesson, I’ll sometimes teach him some guitar techniques. What I observed was, whenever I get him to do some new ‘boring guitar drills,’ he would first attempt to do it, after a few minutes, he’ll go back to play stuff he already mastered which I taught him previously.

This was very similar to my own journey. I felt that I stagnate in my guitar playing for the past few years. It is because every time when I attempt to play new and more difficult stuff, I get bored and go back to playing things I already know or am comfortable with. Thus, the rate of improvement is ground zero.

How does that relate to our spiritual journey? Sometimes, we get so good at doing things we’re good at, even the previously uncomfortable become comfortable. The danger is as we get familiar, we get complacent, and we begin to consciously or unconsciously do everything thinking that its by our own might, by our own strength.

It is only when we have the ‘spirit of excellence’ to want to break out, put in sweat and blood to improve, throw ourselves in unfamiliar ground that we are able to progress. As you are faced with challenges, things that are unfamiliar to you, you’ll learn to depend on God, and the more you depend on him, the closer you are to him only if you choose to rely on him.

My friends, my prayer is that you’ll get off your familiar warm seat and throw yourself to somewhere new, somewhere where you know you would be desperate to call for help, and there you’ll find God as you seek him. But I’m not advocating you to throw yourselves in areas of temptation!