If you know me you know that I am an absolute “gym junkie”, and I’m almost always lifting in my free time. I started about four years ago, and I’ve yet to turn back! I’ve never put much thought into why I do it until about 3 nights ago. I had just finished a work out, and while walking out of the locker room I was stopped by someone. They in the most curious tone asked “why do you train the way you do?” I stood a second in awkward silence, and even struggled to answer. I gave the traditional “I love it and it’s my passion” and so forth, but I went home that night with that question burning in my head. “Why do I train so hard?” I’m not preparing for a show or huge competition so why do I do it?

On my drive home 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 came to mind. “Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

Life is much like a workout. You go in feeling great and ready to conquer, you begin to work as sweat bleeds from your skin, and then you hit your slump. You want to quit, you tell yourself you can finish tomorrow, and your mind begins to fight your body because during a workout it’s the first to give up. You convince yourself to continue your trek, and not to cheat yourself out on what you want. You leave feeling sore, tired and drained, but moreover than that, you feel like an overcomer.

We tend to strut through life with the assumption we are in control, and it will go the exact way we planned originally. We begin to work for our desired dream or goal and things get tough. We are putting time, money, energy and a load of effort into this great accomplishment we desire to attain. Then we hit a road block, our path is no longer straight and narrow like we thought we paved it. We tell ourselves this is an unreachable dream and we can’t move any further. That’s when mental strength kicks in, we persuade ourselves to continue, maybe try a new approach and learn from what didn’t work and revise our steps.

If you want something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done. We Christians are on a constant “race” so to speak, we are running the great race of life, in hopes to have ran it well, and end with the ultimate prize of living in heaven with Christ for eternity. During this run we are called to run it with a heart of contentment in our current surroundings, a faithful spirit in never giving up, a kind touch to those who stumble around us, a grateful attitude that we can run to attain Him, and a drive to keep going even when hills get steep and turns become sharp.

We have to be in a continuous training mindset, the enemy attacks the strongest players, and in that we have to stay connected with Christ, hide His words deep in our heart ready to be used, and steadfast to avoid temptation and tribulations. In this, we should expect change, transitions and setbacks because this journey isn’t about becoming anything, but unbecoming everything you were and are for the glorification of God’s kingdom and a greater cause. He created you and it is by grace you will carry on. We get this one life to prove to ourselves our passion, motivation and strength to want the most out of it.

Sometimes we get the “I can finish tomorrow” mentality, but we are not promised tomorrow. We must act on every opportunity without hesitation, strive to do our best in every walk of life and maintain an endurance to finish as strong as when we started. We must not push the seeds God have planted in our hearts for another day, because we are not granted that. When we move humbly to serve, God equips us fully for greater works. Once this race has begun with Christ, this driven attitude flows into other parts of our lives. Easy is never promised, but never being alone is. “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” Psalm 73: 23-26. Take each day in stride, not worrying about tomorrow, next week or next year, but instead preparing for the days ahead knowing God will fulfill His purpose.

Hold the vision and trust the process because those with the most preparation needed is ordinary people called for extraordinary destinies. “Why do you train the way you do?” because one day I will stand before The God of all and be held accountable for the race I ran. How did I prepare? How well did I run? How did I respond? Most importantly how did I finish? I never wish to live a life to where I limit my body and not see its full potential. God created it. Jesus died for it. The spirit lives in it. I’d better take care of it.