Your Spirit Is A Muscle

I’m in the middle of training for my annual Summer Triathlon.  I tend to take care of myself best when I have a physical goal to work toward….something big that I’m preparing for that won’t go well unless I prepare for it…you know what I mean?  Without the goal, I easily fall out of shape, muscle atrophy, and I gain weight quickly; but WITH the goal, something inside me drives forward and creates new abilities as I work toward it….this is especially true when the race costs money up-front!

I didn’t actually start exercising seriously until 2005-06.  During that time, I signed-up for a big race and trained hard for 9-months.  I lost 35 pounds.  Since that time, I’ve done about 2-3 race events each year to keep the fire burning.  I seem to vacillate back & forth with weight, but have stayed in relatively good shape…AS LONG AS I’M WORKING TOWARD A GOAL.

I’ve seen that this is also true of my spirit.  Did you know that your spirit is a muscle?  Not literally, but it requires and responds to activity & goals just like your physical body does.  Why would we think it to be different than that?  Scripture teaches all kinds of things about our spirits.

• Each one of us is made uniquely, wonderfully, in the Image of God…aka we have “God Stuff” in us, which differentiates us from everything else in creation.  
• We are God’s sons and daughters, made for relationship with Him. 
• We are given special gifts to contribute with those around us as well as the world at large.
• When we come into the Lordship of Jesus, we become part of His Body, His physical presence in this world….His ambassadors…..His agents.
• God’s favor & power flows freely through His people who are fully connected & committed to Him and His purposes (Kingdom).  The more we focus on His reign in us and through us, the more we experience of Him.
• God’s Kingdom is continuing to advance, behind the veil of human history, until one day it will break through what is temporal and become fully, unreservedly, inaugurated.  We have very little idea of what that will look like, but we put one step in front of the other each day in faith.

So if this is reality, why do we often find ourselves living as if it were not?  If this is our priority, why do we become distracted & enamored by temporary pleasures and hypocrisies?  If this is the type of life we are meant to live, why do we settle for the mundane, apathetic, purposeless model of the secular culture around us?  We allow ourselves to fall out of spiritual shape, and our faith-muscles to atrophy!

Most often, the aspect of God’s character that we need most is His GRACE.  It reminds us that He loves us no matter what, and that He’s there to help us no matter how much we screw up.  That’s something we will always need in liberal quantity!  But sometimes we need a big kick in the ass also!  God’s grace is His part, and although there is certainly no effort involved in our SALVATION in Christ…there is certainly is effort involved in our SANCTIFICATION in Christ.  That’s a big churchy word that means “becoming set apart for Him.”  What would happen in your life if you…

• Read your bible for 30-minutes every day, because You knew that without it your mind would be full of your own thoughts?
• Prayed daily that God’s Kingdom would be manifested through your life, and prayed for the people in your life, whether you like them or not?
• Adopted an attitude that each of your days belonged to God, not you?
• Viewed relationships as opportunities to benefit others, rather than benefitting from them?
• Looked for opportunities to serve others and share your hope Christ when ask why?
• Truly believed that you were God’s agent, and that your life’s goal was to become who Jesus would be if He were you?

This is the kind of training mindset I need to have in order to compete in a Triathlon…working for a prize that will not last.  More, I want to live in order to build my spiritual endurance and strength so that I can become more able to be like Jesus today.

SCRIPTURES:

1 Cor. 9:24 – Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Matt. 16:24 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save their lifef will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. 

1 Thess. 5:15 – Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 16Rejoice always, 17pray continually, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22reject every kind of evil. 23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.