Practice

What’s the point of practicing anything? In my opinion there are really two reasons: We practice because we want to get better at something, or we practice because it just feels good. When you were a child did anyone have to force you to “practice” swinging on the monkey bars, or playing patty-cake games? –Probably not. You did it because it just felt like fun, and the right thing to do. However, the seemingly trivial act of swinging on the monkey bars taught you about physical coordination, and the act of playing patty-cake games taught you about rhythm, rhyme, rules, and social interaction. Maybe you felt the drive to get better at swinging the monkey bars, but no child would begin practicing swinging on the monkey bars if it didn’t feel good. (We later make the goal of practicing to “get better” at something because of ego, and competition.)

I think that a spiritual practice can be likened to these examples. Don’t get me wrong, it’s ok to practice something because you want to get better at it, but if it doesn’t feel good anymore, you may want to re-examine your motivation of practice. Have you ever felt this way in your spiritual practice? It’s kind of hard to get motivated to do something if doesn’t feel good. I think that this is where contemporary Christianity in America loses a good number of people. We consider a spiritual practice to be a once a week event in a semi-lecture-class like environment. If that feels really good to you- awesome. I’m glad for you, but what about those of us who need a more hands-on experience to encounter God?

Some questions to consider:

1  .  What is your spiritual practice, and how is it similar or different from a typical Sunday morning church service?

2.       Does your practice feel good?

3.      How would you change a Sunday morning church service to better reflect the kind of spiritual practice that feels good?

I’m asking these questions in general terms, not necessarily specific to Pine Street Church and it’s services.

Peace, Love, and Laughter,

Emily