Lately, I’ve been quite interested in ballet dancers. There’s a group of them from a studio in Arizona that have gotten quite popular on YouTube, and for good reason. They have impeccable technique, tremendous strength, and win many competitions, but they are just kids. We admire their talent but often forget that they have been training in ballet for most of their lives. The videos we see are just their highlights and leave out the hours and years they’ve spent developing and honing their craft to get to where they are now. You cannot fake it until you make it in ballet.
The same concept applies to our lives and walk with God. Something I’ve been learning from Church Renewal’s Young Leader’s Renewal is that above everything else else – skills, experience, charisma, etc – a healthy inner life with God is the most important thing to cultivate.
Spending time with God can be pretty counterintuitive. It can seem unproductive to spend time doing things that don’t seem to contribute to your work or goals. And we’re all busy as work piles up and deadlines loom over us. Spending time with God won’t make it go away. If it did, I’d be spending way more time with God.
But there’s something about taking the time to be open and honest with the One who knows me the most and loves me more than anyone what gives me peace and strength to keep going. Somehow, reading the Bible and receiving what God says to me keeps me steady throughout the hectic days in life.
This might not necessarily contribute to your image or your success, but that’s ok. Jesus, our Saviour ad Messiah, rode into Jerusalem on a baby donkey with a scraggly band of 12 men bringing up the rear. Over the centuries, many kings have ridden into Jerusalem on horses, flanked by soldiers, chariots and nobility. They would have a glorious entrance only to fall later on.
In contrast, Jesus was never about being showy or gaining popularity. He would often tell people not to spread to word about his miracles and would retreat to a quiet place to pray. His closeness with God kept Him steady and secure throughout the ups and downs of his ministry. It was what set Him apart from the many leaders of the time.
I know most of you are familiar with spending daily quiet time with the Lord, and I just want to enourage you to keep at it! God sees what we do when no one is looking, and He will not forget it.