The Off Season and Practice...
Athletes go to practice every day during the regular season and continue on perfecting their craft in the off season. From my history of playing sports the off season was more important than the regular season. The off season was the separation season where one goes into the test phase. When someone has committed to a sport such as in football it becomes a part of their identity and who they are. To be great at what you set your mind to you eat and breath it every minute of the day, and no more important time is during the off season. The off season is the separation season because in that time no one is forcing anyone to do anything. People have the choice to either improve themselves or stay stagnate. The off season is a true test of faith. Do you have faith in your ability and mind to become better than you were before? The regular season didn't end the way you wanted it to end, so do you still have enough faith and trust to improve during the off season? That is answered by when athletes return for the regular season and begin to participate in everyday practices. It becomes very noticeable to everyone who worked to improve themselves during the offseason, because they already stand apart from the competition. While they labor in the everyday practice the ones that worked on themselves have a different mental mindset that truly separates themselves from others. They are no longer working at their craft but laboring in it every day, because they understand it's not just the physical aspect but also the mental mindset that is just as important. To labor is to continue a task that requires the right attitude to get the reward.
Not all of us are athletes but we all go through seasons. We have our off seasons, the practices, and the games, but it's our faith and mindset that either help us or delay us along our journey. We will all experience moments when it feels like nothing is going on, but in reality, something is going on. Those moments of just nothing is what we can call our off season. There is no one there to push us along the way, we aren't seeing much change around us because the truth is that we are being tested and the change needs to come from within us. That change and test is more mental than it is physical. Those moments of nothingness should be more embraced, and key that it is time to grow mentally. So, that when the season comes and it's time to labor and serve others with our purpose, we will bring the right attitude every day without any doubt in our abilities. Your faith and attitude are only as big as the one who you have faith in. "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13).