SCRIPTURE

“Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever.” (1 Timothy 4:8, The Message)

DEVOTIONS

Two weeks to go for the group of guys that has been exercising three times a week using “P90X.”  We were supposed to have a “beach body” in 13 weeks, but I’m going to have to make a lot of progress this week and next to get there.  But it’s been fun.

Tony Horton leads the P90X workouts (via DVD), and he likes to use pet phrases to encourage and motivate participants.  It dawned on me the past couple of weeks that some of those are not only workout tips – they are just good life lessons.  So this week and next, I’ll share some Tonyisms in this space –

Do your best; forget the rest. This may be my favorite, since it sounds like something I’ve often been heard to say: “All you can do is what you can do.”  In a workout, you do more damage than good if you push beyond your ability.  Life, even spiritual life, is about measured, careful, steady progress.

Write it down.  Information is power for the next workout. In P90X, we keep charts of how many repetitions and what weights were used.  That enables us the next time to push just a little harder.  What if we wrote down our progress in anger management, Bible reading, church attendance, giving and acts of service?  We could track where we are growing and where we’ve stagnated or pulled back.

Don’t forget to breathe. In our new member classes, we talk about “input” and “output.”  Some Christians are always doing Bible studies and classes where they are led, served, and ministered to.  Others only invest themselves in places where they can give or serve, and never allow themselves to be taught and loved on.  Don’t forget to breathe – even while you exert.

Next week: More tips from Tony, like “Quality over quantity” and “Don’t smash your face.”

PRAYER

Lord, I want to be more fit in spirit as well as in body.  Help me to be wise and persistent as I grow.  Amen.