Spiritual Exercise and Endurance

(Proviso - If this topic seems at first to be boorish, hang on until the end for the bit that applies to all of us...)

I have been weight training for the past four years. I've experienced pains and strains and even had surgery to repair a torn bicep tendon. I've also found myself becoming profoundly stronger. The weaker parts of my body that were so susceptible to discomfort or even injury early on have toughened up and come into their own. Even so, there is more room for improvement and development.

This definitely isn't the Bowflex, 20 minutes a day, 3 days per week type of training. This is hard, consistent and smart training. It has involved not just the pushing and pulling of weight, but also the study of the human body and athletic nutrition.

Recently I read an article that succinctly stated the necessity for hard work when results are sought in weight training:

"Most people don't want to hear about hard work. They will insist that there must be some hidden secret they are missing. If they would simply start lifting, stop talking, and put in several years of heavy and hard training, they would be amazed. Of course it is not easy, but nothing that is worthwhile ever is. To get good results you must pay your dues.

"You will see some results after a few months, but what really counts is that you consistently train hard and heavy for the long haul. Heavy and hard training should become part of your lifestyle and be just as basic as brushing your teeth. Nothing to brag about, just a given fact. String several dedicated years together, focus on getting your whole body as strong as it can be, and then you'll see some real results."

I see a lot of people in and out of the gym. There's always a "swelling of the ranks" at the beginning of each new year as people buy memberships to fulfill their resolutions. They come pretty regularly for a few weeks and then by March the gym is once again occupied by just the long-haulers.

Now, having gone on for a bit about physical exercise, let me emphasize that: "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." 1 Timothy 4:8

There aren't too many days when these words don't come to mind while I'm at the gym. I know full well that this tent I live in is going to deteriorate and collapse one day. I work out because it elevates my mood, enriches my sleep and increases my overall health, better equipping me for ordinary and extraordinary everyday tasks.

I also know that my soul must also be in training. This regimen must include serious, focused Bible study, a regular commitment to prayer, an embracing of Christ's sufferings and a devotion to faithful service. These disciplines are easily stated but less easily practiced. It's so much like the January gym rats who quickly fade away as their commitment wanes. The real work begins when I feel too sleepy to pore over God's Word or I've planned my day poorly and time for quiet prayer dissolves.

It should be obvious, as disciples of Christ, that we are - that we must - be in it for the long haul. As the title of the above quoted article states "Want Real Results? Just Train for Strength." The Christian life is not about quick fixes or instant results. It is about concerted effort as we are spurred on by love for Christ. As Peter declared when many other were abandoning Christ and Jesus asked his disciples if they, too, wanted to leave: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." John 6:68-69

These disciples were in it for the love, they were in it for the suffering, they were in it for the long haul.