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Sammy was the perfect dog. She walked beside me on a leash and alerted me when she needed to go outside. Sammy even sat when commanded. However, there was one command she did not obey: the command to stay. No matter what I tried, when I said “sit, stay,” she couldn’t keep herself in one place. Sitting on her haunches, her little legs trembled every second after the command. Every atom in her body wanted to disobey.

In a recent exercise class, I had a similar experience. The instructor asked us to hold a strength-training posture for several minutes. Not seconds, minutes. When exercising, minutes are an eternity. I found myself, like Sammy, trying to obey the teacher, but my legs and arms were trembling to move in a different direction. I wanted to push through the familiar exercises to the next pose, yet I didn’t. The act of remaining in one position and focusing on every muscle was a practice in patience. But it helped me visualize what each muscle was doing and how I could get the most work out of every motion.

This reminds me of Paul’s comments on sin (Romans 7:19). I want to obey, yet I find that I give in to disobedience more often. I may commit to doing the right thing, but I chicken out at the last second. I try again and fail. I’ve learned that the art of obedience takes practice, not perfection.

Obedience to God means having the power to go my own way, yet refusing to do so. It means learning to resist the trembling burn of the temptation not to follow God’s path. It often requires me to slow down and get back to basics.

However, the simple act of pausing to wait on God’s timing can be life-changing. You may quiver with anticipation for the next movement, but don’t miss the opportunity to learn amid the challenge. Remember that learning to trust God takes practice.