Opus 2024-273: Sweat vs Effort

As I sat listening to a CD of a very talented lady playing hymns and choruses, I am reveling in the way in which she is conveying her love of God.  When I hear this kind of thing, I sometimes wonder if I could’ve ever achieved that, if I had just been more focused and disciplined.  I assume I will never know because I am not focused or disciplined.

Is the glory that she is conveying the result of talent, or gifts or is it the results of discipline and sweat?  In reality, I’m sure it’s both.  We all know people that have a lot of talent but they don’t put in the effort to develop that talent.  I think of one young man, who was incredibly talented on the piano, and could play by ear just about anything he heard, but was limited by the fact that he never practiced and or disciplined himself to learn the really hard things.

On the other hand, I have heard people who have played guitar or piano, or some other instrument who do a yeoman’s job at conveying what the music says.  They serve.  They bless others.  They never achieve the heights of talent that some people have just by nature.

What joys do we miss simply because we are not willing to push ourselves and discipline ourselves in a certain area?  It could be music as I’ve been relating.  It could be in sports.  It could be in mechanical ability.  It could be in writing books.  What lessons have we missed simply because we don’t have focus and discipline?

One of my hopes is that in eternity we will not only have the time but we will have the opportunity to give it another go.  I hope the removal from the sinful world will also give us the discipline and focus.  I want to be able to sit down at a piano and bless the angels.

I won’t force you to listen.

homo unius libri