The Importance of Practice
Daniel 8:12
"And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered."
One of the things I enjoyed when I was in high school was playing sports. When I played sports, one of the most important principles that I learned was the role practice played in the performance on the field or court. We were often told that our practice will determine how we perform. Practice is no doubt one of those things in life that the majority of people despise, but it is certainly the key that divides those who prosper and those who don't.
The verse above is part of the prophecy that God gave Daniel concerning the future. In this prophecy God made a statement about one of the characters in the prophecy when He said, "...and it practised, and prospered." God said later on in verse 24, "...and shall prosper, and practise,..."You will notice that practice came first, then prosperity happened, and then it practiced again.
This is the key to every area of performance. It really doesn't matter how well you perform, but how well you practice. Practice is the key to establishing patterns. Practice is the key to correcting mistakes. Practice is the key that establishes good habits and corrects bad habits. You will temporarily succeed without practice, but practice is the key to perpetual success. Let me point out from this passage of Scripture a couple of thoughts about practice.
First, practice should always come before prosperity. In other words, nobody should ever be allowed to enjoy the benefits of success without practice. Just because someone has talent does not mean they deserve to be on the field. It is not the performance in front of everyone that is important, but it is the performance when there are no crowds to cheer you that is important. Too many people love the accolades, but they don't want to put the effort into what it takes to get those accolades. Nobody deserves a position without practice.
Second, practice displays character. I think of a basketball star who once made a mockery of practice. He skipped practice which resulted in his coach putting him on the bench for one game. This man was one of the superstars in the league, however, this basketball star was broke at the end of his career. You may wonder what practice had to do with his finances, and I will tell you that his practice habits displayed his character. A persons poor character habits concerning practice will bleed over into their finances. A person with poor character will not think that practice is important. Always remember that character is more important than talent, therefore, practice habits reveal character level.
Finally, success does not remove the importance of practice. If practice led you to success, then practice after success will keep you successful. Herein is where many people fail. They succeed, then they stop doing what made them successful. If you want continued success, then you must continue to practice in private as if you have not yet experienced success.
Christian, your private life is important. Your private life reveals your character. What you practice in your private life will eventually be revealed in your public life. Don't ever take the practice time of life lightly, but always put as much effort into the practice time as you do in your time of performance. You may not have the talent that others have, but you can outwork them in the practice time, which will lead to greater performance when others are watching.