No one wants to be unhealthy, be it spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically. But not everyone is willing to put in the effort it takes to become or stay healthy. Thus the T-shirt phrase: No Pain, No Gain. And while not all rules and encouragement toward physical fitness apply to spiritual fitness, there are some parallels that we will see this week.

1 Timothy 4:7b, 8

…train yourselves to be godly.

Countless hours have been dedicated to excelling in physical activities like football and other team sports, running and other individual sports. Consider that type of dedication, man-hours, coaching, and schedule-juggling while hearing God’s Word: Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. In light of this truth, we are encouraged to dedicate ourselves to training in spiritual activities.

Lord God, I could use a coach; are you available for regular sessions to train me toward excelling in godliness?

We step into this week singing alleluia to You, Father, who calls us to a life of godliness in Jesus;

We sing alleluia to You, Jesus, who demonstrates a life of godliness in all facets;

We sing alleluia to You, Spirit, who makes us holy by faith in Jesus and trains us to be godly in thought, word and deed;

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Full Reading is John 15:18-27

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.

But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.

What jumps out at you from this Bible reading? Ask God why…

John 14:26

The Holy Spirit…will teach you all things.

The Holy Spirit is a key part of every Christian’s training regimen. Referred to as “the Advocate”, the Holy Spirit is sent by Jesus to teach disciples everything Jesus had intended for them to know. The Spirit of God still holds that job, and is our advocate for spiritual (and all other) health through Jesus. There is NO SPIRITUAL LIFE or HEALTH without Him.

Holy Spirit, let me learn to heed your direction daily, and to know spiritual health under your guidance.

Amen.

Thy Word

by Amy Grant

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path.
When I feel afraid, think I've lost my way,
Still you're there right beside me.
And nothing will I fear
As long as you are near.
Please be near me to the end.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light on my path.

Lord of light, I am looking for a few “light work-outs” for my spirit and heart as I move along the path of your word; teach me to walk, run, dance, somersault, and move every other way in the light of your word. I want to be spiritually fit. Remind me that your Word is not simply words, but rather a living, breathing word which can keep me in great spiritual shape.

Amen.

Remember: Take five to ten minutes a day to stop and listen, to connect with God in music. Let the Holy Spirit use it to feed your soul.

John 3:6-8

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You must be born again.” The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

Training for godliness in God’s exercising regimen has a built-in plan of partnership, meaning that it is better to train with others rather than just alone. While there are certain things done between God and oneself, the spiritual walk is clearly a ‘we’ experience also. God intends for us to be training tools for each other as we encourage, rebuke, teach, admonish one another along the way – humbly and lovingly.

Heavenly Father, help me to be the iron that sharpens those around me, and is at the same time sharpened myself.

Amen

Micro Groups or Small Groups

At least once a week, connect with a group of people (2-3, 4-15) to share life, including what you’re learning or wrestling with in God’s Word. Encourage, admonish, strengthen, and love each other in these get-togethers. 

It’s the third component by which God matures his people, so don’t ignore it.

James 1:5

…if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God.

As one always looking for parallels between physical and spiritual fitness, I have viewed prayer as similar to core workouts. The core is abs and lower back area, the trunk of your body. These workouts are not overly-glorious like running or hiking, biking or pumping iron, but are central to good physical fitness. So prayer though not seen by men is crucial to spiritual fitness.

Jesus, you always took care of this core activity it seems. Teach me, your disciple, to pray…

Amen

Jesus said if you devote your life to pleasing yourself, you will actually destroy your soul, whereas if you place honoring God above pleasing yourself, then your soul will be truly satisfied. 

For whoever wants to save their soul will lose it, but whoever loses their soul for me and the gospel will save it. The psalmist echoes this paradox when he wrote, "my heart is not proud, O Lord. My eyes are not haughty... I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me." 

This is a striking picture of my relationship with my soul. How do you wean a child? You do it by strategic disappointment. This metaphor suggest your soul is becoming like that weaned child. It's not constantly troubling you with unsatisfied desires all the time.

-- Soul Keeping, John Ortberg, pages 164, 165

Romans 8:28

…God works together for the good of those who love him.

God promises to use all things, our experiences included, to be woven into what becomes the good of those who love him. To be a lover of God is to put yourself into a position of blessing no matter what the situation that you find yourself in. Trusting that promise is key to staying spiritually well in your mindset.

Lord, it helps me to know that you are working all experiences to my good. Thank you.

Amen

Psalm 34:1

I will extol the Lord at all times…

Lord God, heavenly Father, creator of things including me. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I pray this morning that my spirit will stay strong in all circumstances of life, in plenty and want, in ease and bleakness, that I may, like Job did in his day, proclaim: The Lord gives and the Lord takes away – blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)

Amen.