Practice is repeating an activity over and over to get better at a skill. Athletes practice all the time, and following God is the same. The more we practice listening to God, trusting him and obeying him, the more we grow in wisdom. We see this in Psalm 119:11:
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
When we store up God's Word, we remember it, we think about it, we hold on to it. We do this because it helps us choose what is right and true.
But practice can be hard. Sometimes we don't fell like listening or obeying or doing what's right. Proverbs 12:1 helps us with this:
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
Discipline means choosing to practice, even when you don't feel like it. It means being willing to learn, grow, and be corrected. Reproof is another word for correction. The verse says hating correction is stupid. That's a harsh word we don't use, but in the Bible, it means acting without wisdom or being foolish.
Even when we're foolish and mess up, Jesus never did! Jesus always followed God perfectly and always chose what was true and right. Jesus lived a perfect life and died to rescue us from our sins. Because of Jesus, we can be forgiven and made right with God.
What does it mean to "store up" God's Word?
What do you think happens when you stop following God?
What is something you practice to get better at? How can we practice following God?
Read Proverbs 3:5-6 and recite it while standing on one foot:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Pray and ask God to help you practice listening to him.