October 11, 2022
Daily Devotion:
"No Pain, No Gain…"
1 Timothy 4:7-8
New International Version
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 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.
Are you among the millions who regularly hit the road or the gym to get a good workout? Flab is out; exercise is in-at least for those willing to commit the time and energy to lose that weight, tone those muscles, and get the heart pumping. But make no mistake, exercise is hard work! Forget All those slick television ads promising miraculous results from effortless diets and gadgets. The saying is as true as it is trite: No pain, no gain. And that would be regular pain. "Hit and miss" won't cut it. "On-again, off-again" only exacerbates the pain during the on-again time. So before you sign up for that pricey club membership, you had better double-check that you are committed for the long haul. One day off and the next day it's easier to skip. Two consecutive days playing hooky from the grueling routine and the third day will pass with barely a twinge of conscience. Before you know it, the flab is back and the muscle tone has gone! For one who referred to fighting fights and finishing races, Paul certainly would have known the value of physical training. Yet Paul highlights the far greater eternal-value of godly exercise. Considering that even the best toned bodies will eventually die and decompose, exercising the soul must surely take top priority. Yet it would be surprising indeed if, even among believers, there was nearly as much time and effort devoted to exercising spiritual muscles as physical ones. Of course, for those who would take spiritual exercise seriously, the secret to success is no secret. For spiritual exercise, as with physical exercise, all the same rigorous rules apply.
The daunting question is: How can I hope to be fit for eternity if I shrink from the painful daily routine of stretching myself spiritually?
