Devotional Reading Hebrews 12:3-17
So I was at Gold’s Gym this week working out when I came across a sign that said, “12 weeks to total transformation.” I ignored it for a moment as I headed to my trusty treadmill. Then another sign greeted me with an exhortation to join Gold’s Body Transformation Challenge, “It is worth it.” Pictured was a muscled dude sweating profusely grimacing in pain. “No pain, no gain” I smiled to myself.
Pain is involved in muscle growth. Pain is involved in getting faster, stronger, and more powerful. The point of the posters at Gold’s was to inspire us to have the discipline to look beyond the temporary pain of the moment to the results that we want for ourselves. They even have personal trainers that Gold’s Members can pay extra for encouragement (in the form of being yelled at and challenged daily). We should be taking that sort of discipline to our spiritual lives. Listen to the Author of Hebrews exhorting Christians to stay the course.
Hebrews 12:11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
This year as you debate the foods you are going to cut out and the work outs you are going to put in, think on the discipline that is needed in your spiritual life. Is this the year, you are going to invest in your spiritual body that will last eternally? Who will you meet with this year to discipline your spiritual muscles so that you end up looking more like Christ?
