Spiritual Exercise

In a letter from the Apostle Paul to his young apprentice Timothy he writes “Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.” With all the value placed on physical health and wellness, sometimes we forget about our spiritual, inward side. We are so busy keeping all the plates spinning in life, that we fail to develop healthy spiritually focused habits.

This morning I went golfing with my dad and my two brothers-in-law. I am not an avid golfer, so needless to say I didn’t finish the round in first place. To be honest, this was my first time on the golf course since this time last year. It was an absolutely gorgeous morning. Low 70s, sunny, with a slight morning haze on the course. I had a full bodied cup of “leaded” coffee right before we left so I was rearing to go and feeling very optimistic. As we pulled up to the empty parking lot we realized that we were almost the only ones there that early in the morning. Everything seemed peaceful and quiet. The only sound was our club heads skimming the heavily soaked grass as we took our practice swings. We then each stepped up to the tee box and began the process of creaming our little white spheres into oblivion. The “tink” sound and the oohs and ahhs are always good indicators of well hit shots. The first person... tink... the second person... tink... Then it was my turn... I pushed the tee down into the bright green, soaking wet ground, grabbed my club and lined up. I was waiting to hear my “tink”. I was envisioning all the oohs and ahhs from the invisible gallery. The only think I got was a “thwank” and a hmmmm. The rest of my golfing experience was similar, many poorly hit shots, lost balls, and few, rare, well hit shots. I began to realize that if I was to become a better golfer, I would have to prioritize playing golf and develop a love for the game. If I wanted to increase my ability to hit great shots, I would have to build a habit of hitting the ball right.

I think a lot of us want to grow and become more spiritually healthy and mature. We want to connect with God in a real, and authentic way. We want our relationship with Him to be alive, and vibrant. It’s developing the daily habit that deters most of us. It’s much easier to “clock in” on a Sunday morning for an hour, than it is to develop a “daily” time with God. Its much more comfortable to listen to what the person speaking on Sunday got from God’s Word, than it is for us to read for ourselves and listen for God to speak to us. We find ourselves going days, and weeks, months and years, without ever truly connecting our hearts with God’s. Have you ever been in a place like that in your life? A place where you felt hollow on the inside? Everything on the outside may have been great but your heart was dying?

In 2 Corinthians the apostle Paul was talking to this church about how we grow in our inner lives... He says “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Do you have a daily time with God? A time where you develop your relationship with Him on a personal level?

There are no formulas or techniques to prayer, and in fact Jesus was against this type prayer. He said in Matthew 6:7-13 "The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply.” It’s not a list of mindless spiritual rhetoric. Its genuinely coming to God and being who you are. He knows you better than you know yourself. There is no need to hide who we really are in His presence. He would rather you be authentic and talk with Him about what’s really in your heart, than an eloquently put prayer full of clichés. Remember it’s a relationship we are developing with God, not performing religious rituals.

This week take some time to THANK God for who He is and what He has done. CONFESS those things that put up walls between you and Him. If you ask for forgiveness He will always extend forgiveness and grace to you. (1John 1:9) WORSHIP God, express your love for Him. (Matthew 22:37). ASK Him for those things you need (Philippians 4:6-7). LISTEN for His voice. Quiet down your heart to hear His still small voice. (1 Kings 19:9-13).

Someday I may decide to become a better golfer. I may choose to develop a habit of playing regularly, and actually beat my Dad, and brothers-in-law. But today I choose to place God at the center of my life. I choose to prioritize my inner, spiritual life. Golf, and the rest of this earthly life is only temporary, but my relationship with God will extend for eternity.

“...Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.” -1 Timothy 4:8

Recommended reading: "Too busy not to pray" by Bill Hybels, "Re-understanding prayer" by Kyle Lake, "The practice of the presence of God" by Brother Lawrence