Spiritual Training

"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. " 1 Timothy 4:8

As I got up this morning and did my devotions in 1 Timothy, I was shown this passage. I meditated on the phrase "physical training and thought about how much effort goes into the PT in the military. The men and women get up early in the morning before their day starts and they begin to exercise. It doesn't matter how they feel, they just do it because it is part of their training. It is like the Nike phrase, "Just Do It!". These soldiers go for endurance, strength and self discipline. Physical training does not happen in one day or when ever the soldiers feel like doing it, but it occurs day after day in commitment to the effort of training. What one does in the military for physical training is what we need to be doing to train ourselves in "godliness". I think about getting up in the morning for devotions and sometimes, I just don't feel like it. Sometimes I want to sleep in and I am just plain tired. But what could happen is that I could get complacent and skip a day or two. But training takes commitment day after day. It means that I need the self discipline to do my devotions and pray, even thought I don't really feel like it. I think it is like going to the gym. I have a hard time getting from my home to the fitness center, but once I get there and work out, I feel great afterwards and with a sense of accomplishment. I cannot base my relationship to God on how I feel, for all I need to do is to go to Him in study and prayer and God will do the rest. What is important, is that I have to do my part by seeking Him and God will do the rest. So, I think about physical training and know that I do the same for my spiritual training. I need commitment, I need to be consistent and I need to put out a lot of energy to run this race. Sometimes I think it that spiritual training is hard work and I struggle with it, but I know that is is just what the Lord wants me to do. When I study and pray in my devotion time and find myself in the presence of the Living God, I never want to leave! I love being in His presence and He fills me so much with His love. It is about the relationship with Him and the process I have to go through to get there may be tough, like physical training in the military, but it is so worth it.

Question: Are you struggling with your spiritual training and trying to stay on course? What can you do better, to help you be more disciplined that will help you run this race? Are you willing to do your part, so God can do His part?