When the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy was a child, he believed in a magical green stick that could destroy all evil. His lifelong yearning for moral perfection in himself may have grown out of that childish belief. He never found it, yet his writings reveal his acute understanding of human depravity and God’s holiness.

I too am keenly aware of my own failings, so I cringe when people attribute spiritual qualities to me that I know are sadly lacking. When a friend asked me, “Are you a prayer warrior?” I quickly told him, “No, that’s one of the things I struggle with.” He seemed taken aback. I was surprised that he was surprised.

If you’re like me—spiritually lazy, easily distracted, susceptible to the lie that doing is being—welcome to the company of those in need of grace. We know we should pray. But we don’t do it well.

It appears that all the writers of the book of Psalms possessed introspective natures that passionately craved God. Psalm 119 expresses one author’s deep desire for God’s ways and attributes. “I have tried hard to find You,” he sang. “Don’t let me wander from Your commands” (Psalm 119:10). “I lie in the dust; revive me by Your Word” (Psalm 119:25). Five times he tells how he “meditates” on God’s instruction (Psalm 119:23,27,48,52,117).

I don’t often sit in silence and ponder God. There’s too much noise, so many “demands.” Jesus gently admonished another busy person who mistakenly assumed her busyness was the moral choice. “There is only one thing worth being concerned about,” He told Martha. “Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

There is no magical stick that guides us to perfection. The one perfect Person has taken care of that for us, and He welcomes our time.

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Kings 1:28-53