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. Everyone 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. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9: 24-27
Paul and other New Testament writers often refer to racing and physical competitions. The people of the time were all about physical competitions, especially running and the gladiators! Paul states that those who compete to win spend a great deal of energy training. This is not a haphazard, half-hearted training - it is a full-on pushing themselves every day to be the best. Paul says this same attitude of training should be seen in each of us - training our bodies, minds, and everything to trust fully in Christ and make ourselves submit to God's rule, not sin.
We can take so many lessons from this, but there are two I want to focus on: we are to train ourselves to not sin, and there are benefits to training our bodies. These actually go hand in hand.
Laziness, seeking our own comfort, ease, convenience, etc. over taking care of our bodies is sin. Our bodies are one of God's gifts to us, and as believer's, our bodies are God's dwelling places. Because of the overall effect of sin on all of life, our bodies begin decaying the moment we are born. Training ourselves not to sin includes how we use our time and bodies. Hebrews 12:12 says, "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees." This is following the writer's admonition to embrace discipline from God because "it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Heb. 12:11). Again, that idea of training ourselves! The passage is alluding to training yourself Spiritually, but the imagery brought to mind is that of physical training! Could physically training our bodies be one way God helps us learn to be self-disciplined to train ourselves against sin...
Training our body physically takes specific things from you: commitment, planning and self-discipline. Training against sin and growing in godliness requires those same things. Train your body - for health and godliness. With health, you will have more time for godly work and godly training. As you train yourself for godliness, you will probably be convicted over your unhealthy choices (which may be sin) and I pray the Holy Spirit would encourage you to train yourself for health!
Practically, what do these 3 things look like in the area of being healthy physically?
Finally, training yourself for godliness and health should never be for your benefit alone. You are benefitted by both, but that is not the goal. Remember, our goal is to glorify God in every moment of our existence as His adopted children. Make that your goal, to glorify Him spiritually and physically, and legalism cannot rule or own you. If training yourself becomes a source of you being accepted before God, then you have missed the point of Christ's work. You are not your own, you were bought for a price. Now, all that you are and will be belong to God, so glorify Him and Him alone in everything, because He alone is good and worthy of ALL worship and praise.
Gracious God, I praise You because You are always good and You said that what You created is good. Thank You for the body You gave me. Please help me take care of my body so that You will be honored and glorified in all that I do. Help me train against sinfulness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
1 Corinthians 9: 24-27
Paul and other New Testament writers often refer to racing and physical competitions. The people of the time were all about physical competitions, especially running and the gladiators! Paul states that those who compete to win spend a great deal of energy training. This is not a haphazard, half-hearted training - it is a full-on pushing themselves every day to be the best. Paul says this same attitude of training should be seen in each of us - training our bodies, minds, and everything to trust fully in Christ and make ourselves submit to God's rule, not sin.
We can take so many lessons from this, but there are two I want to focus on: we are to train ourselves to not sin, and there are benefits to training our bodies. These actually go hand in hand.
Laziness, seeking our own comfort, ease, convenience, etc. over taking care of our bodies is sin. Our bodies are one of God's gifts to us, and as believer's, our bodies are God's dwelling places. Because of the overall effect of sin on all of life, our bodies begin decaying the moment we are born. Training ourselves not to sin includes how we use our time and bodies. Hebrews 12:12 says, "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees." This is following the writer's admonition to embrace discipline from God because "it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Heb. 12:11). Again, that idea of training ourselves! The passage is alluding to training yourself Spiritually, but the imagery brought to mind is that of physical training! Could physically training our bodies be one way God helps us learn to be self-disciplined to train ourselves against sin...
Training our body physically takes specific things from you: commitment, planning and self-discipline. Training against sin and growing in godliness requires those same things. Train your body - for health and godliness. With health, you will have more time for godly work and godly training. As you train yourself for godliness, you will probably be convicted over your unhealthy choices (which may be sin) and I pray the Holy Spirit would encourage you to train yourself for health!
Practically, what do these 3 things look like in the area of being healthy physically?
- Commitment: Decide today whom or what you are going to serve - your own sinful desires for ease and convenience or The Lord and training in godliness and health. Are you committed to adding some physical activity to your daily routine?
- Planning: From personal experience, without a plan, any form of training is ridiculously difficult. Just like you should plan when, where and what you are studying and praying about to grow spiritually, plan when, where and what you will do for physical training. There is no cookie-cutter work-out formula that will work for everybody.
- Self-Discipline: Plan according to your own personality and needs so that you can and will stick with it. I used to try to motivate myself to exercise. I bought a great set of exercise DVD's which I would do....occasionally. Even though I enjoyed them, it was not a good fit for me! I learned that I am not naturally a self-starter and needed help. I also enjoyed running, and so began looking for someone to run with - this provided mutual motivation and accountability. Pray and ask God for help finding an accountability partner. Exercise self-discipline as you train your body for health. If you fail one day, there is grace. Get back to it the next day!
Finally, training yourself for godliness and health should never be for your benefit alone. You are benefitted by both, but that is not the goal. Remember, our goal is to glorify God in every moment of our existence as His adopted children. Make that your goal, to glorify Him spiritually and physically, and legalism cannot rule or own you. If training yourself becomes a source of you being accepted before God, then you have missed the point of Christ's work. You are not your own, you were bought for a price. Now, all that you are and will be belong to God, so glorify Him and Him alone in everything, because He alone is good and worthy of ALL worship and praise.
Gracious God, I praise You because You are always good and You said that what You created is good. Thank You for the body You gave me. Please help me take care of my body so that You will be honored and glorified in all that I do. Help me train against sinfulness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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