Few things cause me more grief (real sorrow!) than the legions of people who start strong with Jesus and fade from faith and practice a year or two later. As a shepherd of the Church, I feel some responsibility and yes, I take it personally. I should! After all, the Scripture says that I am "to watch over your souls, and (I am) accountable to God." (Hebrews 13:17, NLT) So, let me coach you with some strong words of advice about finishing this race well. I read the story of a middle- aged man who decided that he would run a marathon after seeing his daughter finish one. He was out of shape, had never run at all, much less done anything as rigorous as running a 26.2 mile race. But, inspired by his daughter's achievement, he wanted to match it. He began with a mile run. He felt like his chest was going to explode. Six months later, he finished a marathon! How did he do it?
Daily training- focus, conditioning, eating healthy foods, and getting rest. He was able to do what he intended to do because he trained his body in daily disciplined exercise.
The Christian life is a lived well only if a person is willing to make a sustained series of daily choices! No one will please God or become a mature saint with a hobby faith or a Sunday experience. We admire the great Believers whose lives are examples of faith, productive in terms of making a Kingdom difference in the world. Many of us say, "I wish I could do that" but our choice of priorities reveals a different desire. We don't do the daily disciplines, practice the habits that create the maturity of spirit and character, that lead to greatness. Said practically, if a person will not get to worship faithfully, contribute a portion of his income to God, practice forgiveness, participate in some kind of service that demands sacrifice and love, meditate and pray each day; is as incapable of doing great things for God as I am to run a marathon today!
I am not sure where the myth of the ‘easy Christian life’ developed, but it is just that – a myth! Real Christianity is a robust, demanding way of living that is not for wimps. That said, we need not be frightened of the rigors. God has given us daily disciplines to build endurance and maturity in us. They enable us to live mature and complete lives, full of the Spirit, that defeat the Evil One, that create loving spaces in a hate filled world, and that cause others to say, "God be praised!" Some people entirely miss the point of spiritual disciplines and worship them rather than the Lord. Daily prayer, regular service, continual Scripture intake are all means of opening up channels through which the Holy Spirit flows into our lives and begins His work of building real character. They are not, in themselves proof of spirituality or sainthood. Those who focus on the discipline instead of the Spirit they lead us to, are like those misguided ones who keep training, but never compete. Why train if you're not going to compete?
Ask God to give you a goal that's bigger than your present abilities, an 'impossible' vision. Then pray for the wisdom and courage to start small, to practice until you're matured, completed, enabled to do what that thing that you could only dream about before your training began. At the end of that race, there is a reward that is eternal, that does not tarnish, that no one can eclipse, or take away.
Have you focused your life around doing the will of God, on finishing well; or are you seeking to be comfortable today, to satisfy the demands and desires that arise in you right now?
God urges us to "leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God." (Hebrews 6:1, NIV) In short, “Grow up and get on with it!”
Here’s the wisdom of the Word about training. I pray it becomes your daily challenge.
"Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it." (1 Timothy 4:7-9, NLT)
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A suggested text for the how’s and why’s of spiritual disciplines
The Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster (link will take you to Amazon)
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