At some time in your life you have been a spectator at a 6^th grade band concert. I am a youth pastor and was a substitute teacher for 27 years and have been to hundreds.

At some time in your life, like maybe yesterday, you have thought, “Why can’t my faith be steady?” “What is wrong with me?”

Your faith is like a 6^th grade band concert.

To which you are raising a fist at me (a real possibility) and saying, “Thanks for saying I’m a noisy, squeaky, wreck of a Christian.”

To you, as the spectator, that 6^th grade band concert is a hot mess. Every student is just learning their instruments.

But to every student they are a nervous wreck at this big debut of them learning their instruments. Their minds are full of anxious questions like, “What if I drop my instrument?” “What if I lose my place on the music score?” “What if I squeak, will everyone know it is me?” “Will my favorite aunt (you) show up and see me in this big moment?” The 6^th grader is taking this very seriously hoping to be able to accomplish something new and brave in his/her life.

Standing in front of the whole band is the band teacher who is expecting every squeak. He/she isn’t shocked by missed notes because he/she knows these students are beginners. The band teacher smiles when they recover, keeps them together, and keeps leading them to the end of the song. The the band teacher is encouraging and smiling throughout the entire concert. God bless all the band teachers out there.

God, the band teacher of your life, isn’t wringing his hands over your spiritual growth. He’s directing it and smiling at the squeaks.

There will be missed notes, awkward entrances, overenthusiastic percussion, and laughs from the audience—hopefully not at the student’s expense but because of the joy of being there. The crowd in the audience will clap honestly and enthusiastically for everything. The crowd always does. Because something great did happen. It didn’t sound great and it didn’t go smoothly but something great did happen.

The audience hears the mistakes. The band teacher hears the music becoming possible.

That’s a beautiful distinction. God isn’t merely tolerating your imperfections. God sees who you are becoming.

This is all happening while being surrounded by parents, grandparents, and cool aunts who are taking pictures and video of every awkward moment. Everyone who chooses to attend a 6^th grade band concert fully intends to cheer that band on. They are not there for the musical experience. They are there to celebrate that the 12-year old put him/herself out there on a stage to learn something new.

Every parent and every cool aunt there will always think this was worth every painfully squeaky moment. And the One whose opinion matters most isn’t disappointed either.

This is what your spiritual growth looks like. Awkward, noisy, embarrassing, overwhelming, disconcerting, stumbling, trying. It is full of imperfect progress.

You are like a 6^th grade band student in the midst of the slow process of learning. And everyone thinks you are growing in beautiful ways.

Healthy Christian community, your gift of people, are celebrating your imperfect progress. All of it. Maybe even taking pictures and documenting it. They are so excited to see you grow. They are so excited about you.

This is what faith looks like.

On a wall at my church we have art that says, “We embrace imperfect progress. This transformation has less to do with ‘trying harder’ or ‘getting the rules right.’ It is more about having a heart that is willing to say:  I will learn and I will obey. Because we know that God loves you as you are but loves you too much to let you stay that way.”

Growth happens because students sign up and then show up. Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep following God the band teacher’s lead. God is leading you to something beautiful. And the crowd of your life is cheering you on.

Every mature believer you admire once sounded exactly like a 6^th grade band student. Keep playing. This is what faith looks like.

Need a bit more beautiful metaphor to help you believe this as truth? Read this Your Story, I Used to See God as a Toymaker.