practice

I choose to view this challenge 

as an opportunity to practice patience.

And instead of drowning in worry,

or wallowing in self-pity,

I will say "Thank you, God

for giving me this opportunity."

And I will practice.

Just like learning an instrument

or multiplication tables,

I need a lot of practice,

and it's not always easy,
and I don't always want to,
and sometimes I fall flat on my face.

But the more I practice

the better I get.

and the more I get to enjoy the good fruit

that it produces.

The more that I taste that good fruit,

the less I desire the bad fruit,

the comfortable, familiar, deadly fruit

of my past.

Lord, you have washed me clean

and made me new.

You have set me free-

now I'm free to follow You.

I am not auditioning

for a part in your kingdom.

I am practicing a part

I've already graciously been given,

and I want to perform it well.

Thank you for these opportunities

to rehearse and retell redemption,

to remember where I came from

and where I'm going.