Obsession

One of the many blogs I read that I probably won't ever stick a link to in my corner pocket is the "Dilbert Blog" by Scott Adams. He's an author and the creator of the dilbert cartoon strip, and has a terrific blog that I've enjoyed reading from day one. His content is usually rated PG, but his commenters aren't at all though - so if you visit, you'll enjoy his posts. I'd just not recommend the comment section.

He wrote a post today, "Practice" that especially interested me though. Here's just a snippet:

Pool is a game in which there is a nearly perfect correlation between how much you have played during your life and how good you are. I sometimes joke that instead of playing actual games I could just compare my number of hours of lifetime practice to my opponent's and declare a winner. Research shows this is essentially true for all sorts of skills.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00E1DC1F3DF932A25753C1A962958260&sec=&pagewanted=all

So you would think that the secret to success is to practice more than your competition. But it's never that simple. In order to put in that much practice you need the opportunity, such as having a pool table in your basement*. But you also need some sort of passion, or drive, or OCD to put in the time. Where does that come from?

Personally, I have felt the compulsion to practice particular skills dozens of times in my life. It happened with ping pong, drawing comics, tennis, computer programming, and other things. Practicing these skills always felt like something I couldn't stop if I wanted to. The attraction was so strong that it felt like OCD.

Later on in the article he uses the phrasing that he was 'drawn' towards certain activities. To the point that, as quoted, he felt like he couldn't stop if he wanted to. The attraction was so strong it felt like OCD.

It was that strong attraction that had him practicing his sports, his drawing, computer programming...

Isn't that how we're suppose to be with God? Where we want to study His word, we want to pray, we want to spend time worshipping Him? Today it seems like it's a difficult chore.We're too "busy" to read Gods word. We don't have time, we've got other books to read, other shows to watch, we've got the house to clean and bills to pay. Who has time to really stop and focus on God?
My prayer tonight is that God will draw me. Give us OCD where prayer and time with Him is concerned. Help us do better.

And by we, and us... I mean ME.

I keep saying how much I want of God. But at the same time, between life stresses and busyness, I end up giving less and less of me. I really don't think I'm going to get where I know I can go with God giving only what I've given so far. If I want more, I also need to keep giving more and more of myself.
I sincerely doubt that Mr. Adams developed the passion and drive and OCD for pool before he played it. So if I want to get better at something, I'd better start playing. God OCD may develop. I hope.

Just thinkin' out loud.