10,000 Practices

Gratitude Day 314

Thurs., Aug. 8, 2019

Isaiah 49:8 – At the right time I heard your prayers. On the day of salvation, I helped you.

Sometimes, we just need a little practice.

Or maybe, a lot of practice.

Professional athletes will repeat the same action over and over. Then, when they are in a situation while competing, their body will automatically perform a certain function. Their brain will not have to think. It will simply do.

Green Bay Packers cornerback Josh Jackson high-fives fans while riding a bike to practice at the first day of training camp on July 25, 2019 in Green Bay, Wis. Gpg Trainingcamp 072519 Sk32

They practice the same action at least 10,000 times.

Bakers and chiefs will make the same food over and over. Until it is just right. Tweaks here and there to their recipe until the food simply melts in your mouth and it tastes heavenly.

They make the same item for what seems like 10,000 times before it is just right.

There are things that I do without even thinking about them. Brush my teeth. Make coffee in the morning. Put gas into the car. I’ve done these things more than 10,000 times. I’ve practiced and practiced these actions to the point that I don’t think about them when I do them. My body knows just what to do. I’ve done them so often, sometimes, I stop and question if I did them today or not.

When it comes to prayer, why do we expect our prayers to be one-and-done? Why do we only say them once and expect the answer immediately? Why are we so impatient and anticipate that God will answer them as soon as we have spoken the words?

Why shouldn’t we view prayer more like requiring 10,000 practices before we get an answer?

Why aren’t we committed to practicing prayer over and over before we might get it right?

Why should God answer a prayer before we are so vested into a prayer that we’ve prayed it so many times that we don’t even have to think about it anymore?

The problem with prayer? We say it once. Or twice. Maybe three times. And if God does not answer it immediately, we conclude that “God doesn’t answer our prayers.” Maybe, our approach should be that we need to keep practicing prayer. Saying the same one, or slightly modified prayer, over and over, until we truly become prayer experts.

And as we do this, see how we change in the process. See how our faith grows and changes. See how God works in and through our lives because we want to become prayer experts so badly. Maybe, if we commit to praying over and over the same prayer, we begin to truly understand what prayer is.

Before you give up on prayer, commit to praying the same prayer 10,000 times. Give God 10,000 reasons why your prayer should be heard. Commit to the process. See what happens. You might be amazed at the results.

For a willingness to commit to prayer for the long-haul, I am grateful.

Dear God – Forgive us for the times we gave up on prayer way too early. Forgive us for our short-sighted times of skipping out of being a true prayer warrior. Instill in us the desire to truly become a person who has prayed so much, over and over. May we desire to become followers with at least 10,000 prayer practices. Amen.

Blessings –



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