I joined a fitness club recently. My doctor has been urging me to lose some weight and get myself in better shape. So, thanks to help from our insurance, I was able to find an affordable place to work out. While I can't say it's made a big difference in my health and fitness yet, it has given me some insights into spiritual development.
When I first started, I had an evaluation done by the staff nurse. This gave me my baseline for starting my exercise program. As I anticipated, I'm not in great shape (although it could be worse). I got a medical clearance from my doctor, and setup an appointment with a trainer to develop an exercise program.
That's when I learned the most important part of working out. It's not going to the gym. I could drive there and just visit the fitness bar and slurp down a protein shake without much of an effect. It's not all the wonderful equipment the center has. I can come look at it all day and never get one iota fitter. IT's not getting dressed in the locker room. Even if my clothes were stylish, they wouldn't get me any closer to looking better in them.
No, the most important part of an exercise program is getting onto the equipment and doing the exercise. Until I commit myself to actually engaging in physical fitness, I won't get any fitter. I can read about fitness, search the Internet for exercises, and even make the best-intentioned promise to exercise, but until I do it, it doesn't mean anything as far as physical improvement goes.
The same principle applies to our spiritual development. You can have a shelf full of the best study Bible printed. You can have high-speed access to great computer and Internet study software. You can know all the best places to watch and listen to the most respected Bible teachers and theologians teach. You can have a wonderful church with a strong, Bible-preaching pastor and experienced Bible teachers. It won't matter, if you never bother to use them.
The Bible is a life-changing book that tells us the truth about our awesome God and Creator. The Holy Spirit gifts men and women with wisdom in teaching and proclaiming this truth in ways that communicate timeless truth to a contemporary world. But if you never open the Bible, or go to church, or join a small group Bible study, or actually watch or listen to those great teachers available, you won't grow. It's as simple as that.
As a Christian education director, one of my greatest frustrations occurs when people tell me, "I don't seem to be growing much as a Christian," yet these same people are nowhere to be found on Sunday morning, Wednesday night, or any other time the church has teaching. They also are scarce when ministry opportunities arise, and others in the church develop gifts by using them while they sit at home. Of course they aren't growing, but they don't seem to see why.
So my challenge today is to get started. If you want to grow as a Christian, and to develop spiritually, you need to start exercising now. Read your Bible. Study. Go find a good teacher and let them help you learn. Pray to draw closer to Christ, and to grow not only in knowledge, but in service. Go use what you know to help others. Do that, and I think you'll start seeing some "healthy" results.
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