Yesterday I cut my lawn for the second time this spring. This morning my body is reminding me. Pushing around a 300 pound lawnmower (OK -- it only seemed like it weighed 300 pounds!) for 50 minutes last evening is enough for my body to be crying out in pain this morning. So what happened since the fall? The last time I cut my lawn in November, I zipped through the task in about 40 minutes - barely breaking a sweat in the process. Now I know I've had my 52nd birthday since then - but come on now! Why has it become so much more laborious a process?Simply put - I am OUT OF SHAPE! Over the winter months, with a greatly reduced level of physical activity, my body has grown soft (not that it was ever honed to an iron-like consistency to begin with!). Bodies happen to do that. If we do not exercise them, our muscles grow weak and flabby. Yep - that's me right now - weak and flabby! However, given the better weather and more lawn cuttings real soon, I know it is only a matter of time before the old body begins to come around! And if I ever get to the exercise regiment that I plan to -- I will soon be saying, "Goodbye Mr. Flabby. Hello Mr. Muscle!" (OK - I can dream, can't I?!)
Just as our physical bodies grow weak and flabby from a lack of physical exercise, the same is true of our souls. We MUST be working out spiritually, working up a spiritual sweat. No spiritual training, no spiritual growth. Really John? Yep. And don't just take it from me (because I have been known to be wrong in the past - not surprised, are you??!!). The Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 4:7 told Timothy (and us by extension), "train yourself to be godly."
So how are you exercising your soul? In what ways are you working up a spiritual sweat? Remember, Paul did not simply say "Try to be godly" -- he said "TRAIN yourself to be godly!"
Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj
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