Have you ever been to the gym and witnessed a guy bench-pressing about 500 lbs., but weighing almost as much? Okay, I may have exaggerated somewhat. But, while these guys are building massive muscles from the navel up, their midsection hasn't been properly trained. While I haven't lost a lot of weight, I have learned a few things while exercising on my elliptical. If I want to lose weight, I have to control my eating as well. Physical exercise just isn't enough. Okay, so this isn't rocket science, it is a fitting analogy to our growing in spiritual discernment.
Apparently, Timothy was spending too much time in the gym and Paul had to tell him to back off. He wrote this, "Train yourself to be godly. For 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 (I Tim. 4:7-8)." How does this apply to us and to discernment?
I recently was feeling a form of spiritual dryness. What could be wrong? I was reading the Scriptures faithfully, fasting regularly, reading other Christian literature, hanging out with other Christians, and serving. What was missing? I wasn't making time to be alone with God and my prayer life was growing stale as a result. Even when I was spending time with God and praying, I was too tired and had difficulty focusing, because I was getting up faithfully and exercising. I was physically wearing myself out and it was affecting my ability to be discerning.
It is frustrating because I am continually telling others how important it is to avoid being distracted, and here I was again, finding myself focusing on something other than God. I had often appreciated working out before my devotional time, because it made me more alert when I did spend that time with the Lord. However, it had become the end instead of the means.
Jeanette Bakke, in her book, "Holy Invitations," writes, "When good actions such as worship, Bible study, or service are detached from our prayer, they can become dead. We have many ideas about how to continue what God has begun in us and can easily slip into taking charge of our spiritual nurture and development instead of seeking the Holy Spirit's way...unless we ask God to help us set priorities, order our lives, and guide us moment by moment, how can we hope for our actions to grow from God's intentions rather than from seemingly good ideas of our own?"
Godspeed, Phil
Apparently, Timothy was spending too much time in the gym and Paul had to tell him to back off. He wrote this, "Train yourself to be godly. For 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 (I Tim. 4:7-8)." How does this apply to us and to discernment?
I recently was feeling a form of spiritual dryness. What could be wrong? I was reading the Scriptures faithfully, fasting regularly, reading other Christian literature, hanging out with other Christians, and serving. What was missing? I wasn't making time to be alone with God and my prayer life was growing stale as a result. Even when I was spending time with God and praying, I was too tired and had difficulty focusing, because I was getting up faithfully and exercising. I was physically wearing myself out and it was affecting my ability to be discerning.
It is frustrating because I am continually telling others how important it is to avoid being distracted, and here I was again, finding myself focusing on something other than God. I had often appreciated working out before my devotional time, because it made me more alert when I did spend that time with the Lord. However, it had become the end instead of the means.
Jeanette Bakke, in her book, "Holy Invitations," writes, "When good actions such as worship, Bible study, or service are detached from our prayer, they can become dead. We have many ideas about how to continue what God has begun in us and can easily slip into taking charge of our spiritual nurture and development instead of seeking the Holy Spirit's way...unless we ask God to help us set priorities, order our lives, and guide us moment by moment, how can we hope for our actions to grow from God's intentions rather than from seemingly good ideas of our own?"
Godspeed, Phil
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