Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Faking It


The other night, my older son, Grant had his spring concert. He joined the band this year and played the saxophone. He is NOT musically gifted, but he joined to try to make friends since this was his first year in a new school with no friends and not much hope either. Joining the band has really helped him feel like he belongs to something. He was in such need for friendship that the fact that he didn’t know the first thing about how to play any instruments or read music or even spell the word “saxophone” didn’t stop him. I’m so proud of him, even though I wish he’d practice more, and communicated better…I’m still proud! (He didn’t tell us about the spring concert until the night before, which sent me on a panic spin for I knew the shoes I had bought for him back in December for the Christmas concert did not fit anymore!)

At any rate, we went to the concert and we watched him look splendid. At the end, I asked him, “how much did you fake it? 50%?” Back in December, for his first concert, the Band director told him, “if you can’t make it, fake it,” since he knew Grant was just not ready to be a performer yet. To my delight, Grant said, “this time, I played 60 to 65% without faking it.” LOL!

That’s my boy.

After I was done laughing and teasing, I began to think: “how much do I fake it in my own life too?”

I wish I could say I never fake it…the truth is, however, I’m probably right there, next to my son, when it comes to faking it/not faking it ratios.

I want to run a good race. I want to press on and give it my all. I want to always do my best. But over and over and over again, I fall short. Just like the disciples at Gethsemane, when they were supposed to stay awake, make company and give moral support to our Lord, and they fell asleep, I often fall asleep on the road to meeting Him too. 

What is there to do?

Jesus tells us:

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26: 41

I know it sounds common sense, and to some perhaps even simplistic, but it is what we ought to do, and so many times we don’t. We need to keep vigilant and pray without ceasing. To be a Christian is to know Christ, and to accomplish that with our limited minds, we have to stay connected to Him. Prayer is the answer. Prayer is the outlet, the cable and the plug. Requesting the guidance of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis is the way to go. And we need His guidance for all the steps we take…not just the big and transcendental ones, but also even the small.

I don’t want to fake my Christian walk. I don’t want to fall asleep on the road either. But my flesh is weak, so sometimes I, inevitably, will again, stumble and fall. But I just want to remember that prayer will get me going 100% of the time.

Grant signed up for band for the coming year. And I am delighted! I’m sure, however, that there will be times, less and less I hope, when he will still have to fake it again. I pray, for the both of us that we won’t have to anymore. As I try to teach my son about the power of prayer, I want us both to remember than rather than faking it, we should always just pray through it.

Linking with:  Whole Hearted Home and Little R and R

8 comments:

  1. Oh my..love that story. But you're right. I don't want to be faking it in my spiritual life. Praying through hard places can take the fake out of it.

    Blessings!

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    1. Thank you so much for visiting, Pamela, and for sharing your comments. Let's pray without ceasing!

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  2. Love this analogy, Gisela! I have been lacking in my prayer life lately. It's so easy to just be satisfied with a quick Good Morning and Good Night prayer. I forget how wonderful it is to pray throughout the day about everything! I'm so glad to hear your son has found a tribe in band. My son is starting it next year in middle school. He is a little nervous about starting a new school as he is not big on change. We thought band would be a great place to help him feel a part of it all. Always a pleasure, my friend!

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    1. Thank you Candace! And yes, I think band is a great place to make friends. I pray your son finds it rewarding and encouraging and that his teacher is fun and kind. It is good to "see" you, my friend! Hugs!

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  3. Wow, this post hits the nail on the head of a real issue probably 99% of us Chistians face. Do we own up to how things really are or put on our happy, I'm fine face. I want to be real. Thanks for this post. ...<><...cathyzpeek.com

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    1. Keep it real...that's our only "real" option. God knows, so why pretend, right? I appreciate your comments very much. We are all in this together, we may as well pull together and help each other. Big hugs! and thank you so much for stopping by!

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  4. Gisela, I am proud of your son too!! I played in a band too and you have to fake it before you know all the notes. It does come eventually so tell him to be encouraged. I loved how you transitioned into a spiritual application. Faking it is OK if you eventually are walking closer to the Lord. It is kind of like smiling when you don't feel like it and eventually you actually feel like smiling. For those living a counterfeit Christian walk, they might be surprised at the end of their life.

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    1. You are so right, Judith, eventually we end up walking closer to the Lord if we act in obedience...like smiling when we don't feel like smiling...that is so true. Thank you so much for your encouragement and for your words for my son. He is so very precious and he does need to find a safe place where he can relax and have a sense of belonging. Praying for all children, big hugs!

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