|
"The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man's precious possession."
(Proverbs 12:27)
A few days ago, I read over my journal entry from a year and a half back when I completed my first (and only) Ironman Triathlon Race. That was the hardest thing I have ever attempted, at least physically. It is a grueling race where the mind forces the body to do things it does not want to do. Crazy as it sounds, I miss it. I miss the 5 months of intense training that it took for me to prepare. I miss the excitement of race day and the feeling of total dependence upon the Lord. I had prepared hard for the race, but especially the 2.4-mile swim. I have come close to drowning three times in my life. But God! He was so good to me, and I never got panicky during the race. I actually finished the swim in a time that I did not think possible (1 hour and 29 minutes). The bike portion was by far the most difficult, due to some mechanical difficulty. The marathon at the end was brutal, but hey, I accomplished what I set out to do, and that was to finish!
Afterward, I went to my chiropractor, Dr. Bob Meyers, and shared with him that since the race, I have been much less active and hurt more now that I am not training as much. He smiled and said, "Yes, because motion is lotion." He is absolutely right! While engaged in constant motion and training, my joints, knees, back, etc. did not hurt nearly as much as they do now. So now I am ready to start training for another race so my joints will feel better!
This sounds crazy, I know, but think about it for a minute. I think this is true in our spiritual lives as well. As we are engaged in spiritual exercises like praying, reading the Bible, meditation, witnessing, fasting, etc., we are not giving ourselves time to get rusty. Spiritual disciplines are not easy, and it takes effort and time to engage in those activities that enhance our walk with God. However, when we are not spiritually fit, we do not soar in our relationship with the Lord and accomplish all He desires for us. For example, I am much less likely to exhibit patience or share the Gospel with someone if I go a few days without prayer and Bible reading. The "motion" of practicing the spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith provides the "lotion" of living out the Christian faith with more ease and effectiveness.
Oftentimes, what is true in the physical world is true in the spiritual. Garbage in will result in garbage out. If we eat a steady diet of ice cream and cake, we will be unable to function physically. If we fill our minds with the things of this world and neglect to read the Bible consistently, then we are not going to respond to others in ways that please the Lord.
I encourage you to listen to the sage advice of Solomon in our proverb for today. Be diligent and do those things you may not feel like doing, because they will enable and prepare you to participate in the things that you enjoy. You do not have to be crazy and overzealous like me and compete in an Ironman, but I think it is wise of you to engage in some physical exercise at least 3-4 times a week. You do not have to pray and read the Bible 2-3 hours a day, but you should at least spend some uninterrupted time with the Lord every day.
Come on; you got this! Stay at it, for the duty will turn into delight!
|
|
Learn to Influence the Ones You Love for Eternity!
Discover the outreach strategies of Jesus – and find out why they still work today.
|
|
|
|
Good News!
In these crazy times in which we live, it is important to hear about good news, rather than just bad news all the time. In this episode, Danny discusses good news that should give us hope and optimism, especially the greatest news of all: the Gospel.
|
|
|
|
|
