St. Paul's Episcopal Church issued the following announcement on Oct. 21.
People rarely stumble into greatness. Being exceptional at anything—even for those born with rare talent—requires commitment and practice. The same is true for those pursuits we enjoy despite not being recognized for our accomplishments. Think of something you are good at, something you enjoy, something you love to do. Singing, baking, running, reading, writing, drawing—whatever it is, you do not need to be world class at it in order to enjoy the hard, deliberate work of honing that craft in order to delight in it further. Most of us measure our success not in the blue ribbons we win but in that feeling of gratitude that comes from practicing something over and over until we feel like we have accomplished something.
Sometimes we forget that spiritually meaningful pursuits take practice, too. On Ash Wednesday and the first few Sundays in Lent, when we kneel in worship for a prolonged period, I recognize that the ache in my legs is a sign that I have not engaged in that posture of prayer often enough. Though more subtle, I feel a similar weariness when I return to a practice like extended silence after a few months of other forms of prayer. Sitting quietly and listening to God for longer than a moment or two requires a commitment to daily practice. If I were to abandon a spiritual discipline after only one or two attempts because it did not come easily, I would never know the benefits that come only through persistence.
Original source can be found here.
Source: St. Paul's Episcopal Church
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