Training for Godliness

Right around Easter-time last year, I wrote an entry called Running Well about the need for discipline in the life of a runner, both literally and spiritually. And now I'm back with a year's worth of further perspective.

I haven't run much since last April. There's this thing called Life, and it got in the way. A lot of good things of much higher priority came into my schedule; running went out. Probably not the best idea I've ever had, but that's life. But now I'm working exercise back into my routine, and I'm seeing spiritual lessons that I need to learn.

Like last year, I have two big thoughts.
1. We don't exercise once a month and think that it will suffice. We go to work to train muscles for endurance. A once-a-month workout won't make a lick of difference to anyone. Sometimes we think that we had a great experience in church, or we had a great quiet time and really engaged the Lord in prayer. It doesn't really matter if I have a full time tomorrow or pray every day. No, it does matter! The less we exercise, the harder it is and the less effective it is.We need to daily lace on our sneakers and go at it, or we'll be fooling ourselves.

2. The only way to build endurance is by keeping at it day after day after day, each day working harder than the day before. The point of exercise is not so that the workout will one day be easy, but so that you can tackle harder and harder workouts. We don't skim the Word and float through prayer in the hopes that someday we'll have so much wisdom and understanding that Christianity will all be really easy. We study and dig down deep so that more and more our minds and hearts will belong to Christ and will long for His appearing; and so that as we do grow in wisdom, we will be of more use in the establishing of His eternal kingdom.

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive,because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. (1 Tim. 4:6-10)