How to Stay Standing: 3 Practices for Building a Faith That LastsShembull

Practice Doing It

The third rhythm in a life of faith is the one that gets you all the way down to a foundation of rock: it is practice. Practice is when you DO what the Word says in obedience to what you’ve heard in the Word of God. These rhythms need to take place in order. Come. Hear. Practice.

If you don’t come to Jesus with your whole self, you won’t hear Him. If you don’t expose yourself to the Word, you won’t know what He is saying. But if you hear Him, and you don’t move, you will never have a foundation of rock. On Day 1, you read the parable of the wise and foolish builder where Jesus warned about those who hear His words and do nothing: they fall when the wind and waves hit.

In today’s reading, Peter moved at Jesus’ word despite the wind and waves. Peter’s name—Cephas—meant “Rock,” and this is why. Peter had a tendency to move even when others were afraid or held back, and this is why Jesus called him “Rock.” I think Jesus loved the fact that Peter moved anyway—even though sometimes he failed.

Many people don’t move because we are waiting for guaranteed outcomes, but you need to get comfortable with imperfect experiments. That’s why I love the word practice! It’s messy, uncomfortable, stretching, and new. Practice doesn’t need certainty. Practice doesn’t need the whole picture. Practice does not wait to be stronger: practice is how you get stronger. There’s never a perfect time to practice, but today is a good one. If you have come to Jesus and heard His Word, ask Him to show you one small way to follow Him more closely. It may be something you’ve always known but never actually done. That’s a great place to start.

One last word: when you move, expect resistance. As soon as Peter stepped out, he saw the wind and waves and he got scared. There is an enemy of God who doesn’t want you to discover new intimacy and knowledge of God, and he’ll do anything to stop you. Pick up your eyes today and focus them on Jesus.

Where have you been waiting to move or delaying obedience?

Is there a small experiment that you could do today to get moving?